What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Melilotus Officinalis Extract
AstringentPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Betaine, Tapioca Starch, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Totarol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Totarol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Maltodextrin, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Butylene Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is created from fatty coconut alcohol, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is a lightweight emollient. Emollients create a thin barrier on the skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated and soft.
Once applied, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is absorbed quickly and leaves a silky feel.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate may not be fungal acne safe.
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 GlycerinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
