What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPEG-8 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientAcacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Wax/Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantSqualane
EmollientPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sericin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningTocotrienols
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
PEG-75 Stearate
SurfactantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingTribehenin
EmollientCeteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol
CleansingElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Wax/Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethoxydiglycol, Squalane, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Panthenol, Ectoin, Phospholipids, Hydrolyzed Sericin, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Ceramide Ng, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, PEG-75 Stearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Tribehenin, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyl Avocadate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantVinyldimethicone
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Water, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyl Avocadate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Diglycerin, Betaine, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Vinyldimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 ingredientâs 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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itâs technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term âoil-freeâ isnât regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTocopherol 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