What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientMel
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingHordeum Vulgare Cera
EmollientTropolone
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientWater, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Mel, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cera Alba, Tocopherol, Parfum, Coco-Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Cera, Tropolone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglycerin-3
HumectantAcacia Decurrens Flower Wax
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTropolone
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cera Alba, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglycerin-3, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Tropolone, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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 ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCera alba is beeswax, or the wax used by bees to make honeycombs. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient. A study from 2003 found beeswax to be a stronger emollient than ingredients such as petroleum jelly.
As an emollient, beeswax helps hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in.
Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating. This helps create consistent texture.
The structure of beeswax is mainly long-chain alcohols and the esters of fatty acids.
There are three types of beeswax: yellow, white, and absolute. Yellow is pure beeswax taken from the honeycomb. White beeswax is created by filtering or bleaching yellow beeswax. Absolute beeswax is created by treating beeswax with alcohol. Beeswax used in cosmetics are purified.
Beeswax has been used throughout history and even in prehistoric times. Some common uses for beeswax still used today are making candles, as a waterproofing agent, and polish for leather.
Learn more about Cera AlbaGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWe don't have a description for Tropolone yet.
Water. 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