What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexyl Cocoate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Water, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Plankton Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Dimethicone, Sodium Citrate, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Polysorbate 20, Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAdipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingErythorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Adipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Bisabolol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Citrate, Erythorbic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, BHT, Retinol, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredientās final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
