What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientHydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycol Stearate Se
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
AbrasiveMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Adenosine, Panthenol, Glycol Stearate Se, Behenyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Synthetic Beeswax, Silica, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
EmollientLanolin
EmollientGlucose
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
EmollientPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningEuphorbia Cerifera Wax
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingSqualene
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSorbityl Laurate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Propanediol, Sorbitan Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Lanolin, Glucose, Ceramide NP, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Allantoin, Vegetable Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tocopherol, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta-Carotene, Glycine Soja Oil, Dimethicone, Sorbityl Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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