What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-72 Amide
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetyl Stearate
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Propanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-72 Amide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Stearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
Emollient
Opuntia Tuna Flower/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTapioca Starch
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzaldehyde
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Rose Ketone-4
Perfuming
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Opuntia Tuna Flower/Stem Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Parfum, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tapioca Starch, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzaldehyde, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Rose Ketone-4, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 TriglycerideCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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
