What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Inonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningMelatonin
Antioxidant
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingJasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Rose Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Officinalis Flower Extract
TonicPrunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Esters, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Melatonin, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Rose Extract, Paeonia Officinalis Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sclerotium Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Nylon-12
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
C12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-6
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Polyacrylamide
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Ammonium Polyacrylate
StabilisingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
Abrasive
C13-14 Alkane
SolventBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Nylon-12, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-7, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Sorbitan Oleate, Ceteareth-6, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Polyethylene, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Polyacrylamide, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Tin Oxide, C13-14 Alkane, Benzyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol
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 TriglycerideCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
