What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Yucca Schidigera Leaf/Root/Stem Extract
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behenyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Tocopherol, Yucca Schidigera Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
CleansingBetaine
Humectant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Panthenol, Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Betaine, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Oleate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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.
Tocopherol 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 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
