What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Borago Officinalis Extract
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glucose
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, C14-22 Alcohols, Polysorbate 60, Arginine, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Borago Officinalis Extract, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glucose, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-11, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Viscum Album Fruit Extract
Soothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Dihydroxyisopropyl Palmoylpalmamide
HumectantBis-Capryloyloxypalmitamido Isopropanol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Heptapeptide-4
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Panthenol, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Viscum Album Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Dihydroxyisopropyl Palmoylpalmamide, Bis-Capryloyloxypalmitamido Isopropanol, Allantoin, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Madecassoside, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Ā
Itās 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
