What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ribose
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Carrageenan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Squalane, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ribose, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopherol, Chondrus Crispus, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caffeine, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Sodium Hydroxide, Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Silica
Abrasive
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Eperua Falcata Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
Cleansing
Ceteareth-6
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Nylon-12
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Propylene Carbonate
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDextrin
AbsorbentPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Propanediol, Synthetic Wax, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Eperua Falcata Bark Extract, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Ceteareth-6, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Cyclodextrin, Adenosine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Nylon-12, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propylene Carbonate, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dextrin, Pisum Sativum Extract, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 77891, Parfum
Reviews
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 ingredient’s 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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 TocopherolWater. 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
