What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Ricinoleate
EmollientQuaternium-91
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetyl Esters
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone PEG-7 Isostearate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
PEG-7 Amodimethicone
Humectant
PEG-45m
HumectantAmodimethicone
Disodium EDTA
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
C12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingC12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingVitis Vinifera
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-9
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract
Skin Conditioning
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Acetic Acid
BufferingSodium Acetate
BufferingTocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate
Antioxidant
Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate
Humectant
Pseudozyma Epicola/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Quaternium-95
UV AbsorberPropanediol
Solvent
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-8
HumectantBis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCitral
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
PEG-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
PEG-4 Dilaurate
Emulsifying
PEG-4
HumectantEtidronic Acid
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecyl Ricinoleate, Quaternium-91, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Cetrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Phospholipids, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Dimethicone PEG-7 Isostearate, Glycine Soja Oil, PEG-7 Amodimethicone, PEG-45m, Amodimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Polysilicone-15, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, C11-15 Pareth-7, Sodium Polyacrylate, C12-13 Pareth-3, C12-13 Pareth-23, Vitis Vinifera, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Laureth-9, Trideceth-12, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Acetic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate, Pseudozyma Epicola/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Quaternium-95, Propanediol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, PEG-8, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Punica Granatum Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate, BHT, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Biotin, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Chlorphenesin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, PEG-4 Laurate, PEG-4 Dilaurate, PEG-4, Etidronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Apium Graveolens Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Propanediol
Solvent
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Hydrated Silica, Propanediol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Phosphate
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 TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
