What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Citric Acid
Buffering
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Piroctone Olamine, Allantoin, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethyl Caprylate
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Arginine
Masking
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Phenoxyethyl Caprylate, Dibutyl Adipate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Panthenol, Piroctone Olamine, Allantoin, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Carbomer, Propanediol, Decyl Glucoside, Arginine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Propylene Glycol, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCaprylic/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 Triazone (aka Octyl Triazone) is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter. It has peak absorption around 314 nm, right in the middle of the UVB range.
This ingredient is described as one of the most effective UVB filters available and small concentrations are enough to deliver a high SPF thanks to its strong UV absorbing power.
Formulators love it for its stability; its ability to filter UV stays practically unchanged even under intense radiation and it can also help boost the photostability of less stable filters like avobenzone.
It's also a great pick for water resistant products because it's insoluble in water and has a good affinity for keratin.
Because it's a big, heavy molecule, the European Scientific Committee has found to to have very low dermal penetration and negative results for allergenicity.
In vitro testing also showed a low absorption rate and clean results on irritation.
Typical use levels are 1-5% with 5% being the maximum in the EU, Japan, and other markets that allow it. However, this ingredient is not approved yet in the US or Canada.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
Piroctone Olamine is a synthetic antifungal and preservative ingredient.
Its main job is to keep the yeast, Malassezia, in check; this yeast is linked to dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and fungal acne (a.k.a. Malassezia folliculitis).
The way it works is pretty neat:
It slips into the fungal cell and grabs onto iron ions that the yeast needs for its energy metabolism; this basically starves it out. But the full mechanism isn't 100% pinned down and some research also points it to interfering with ergosterol (a building block of the fungal cell membrane).
Besides antifungal action, it also has mild anti-inflammatory and soothing effects to help calm itchiness in the scalp.
Typical usage concentrations are low. The EU permits it to be a preservative up to 1% in rinse-off products and 0.5% in leave-on products.
Though it's generally well-tolerated, a small number of people may notice itching or irritation (as with any active).
Learn more about Piroctone OlaminePotassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateWater. 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
