What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Capillaris Extract
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Synthetic Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Pyrus Malus Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Trihydroxystearin, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Artemisia Capillaris Extract
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 TriglycerideEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateTrihydroxystearin is what you get when you fully hydrogenate castor oil into a waxy, fine powder.
It's mostly a behind-the-scenes texture enhancer that's especially good at "thixotropic" thing where the product stays thick but applies nicely.
Because of its structure, it also acts as a mild skin conditioning emollient that helps soften skin while preventing moisture loss.
Safety studies show it to be safe and non-irritation in clinical tests. It's typically used in concentrations up to 5%.
Since its an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can potentially feed on. This makes it not fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Trihydroxystearin
