What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Carbomer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCoco-Caprylate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingArginine
MaskingPCA
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientTetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAspartic Acid
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingHistidine
HumectantSilybum Marianum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMethylpropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyquaternium-80
CleansingDidecyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Coco-Caprylate, Squalane, Glycerin, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, PCA, Dimethicone, Tetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone, Sodium Polyglutamate, Betaine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Proline, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Silybum Marianum Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylpropanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-80, Didecyldimonium Chloride
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 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 PanthenolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSqualane 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 SqualaneWater. 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