What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Tripeptide-29
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Stearic Acid, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Tripeptide-29, Betaine, Allantoin, Arginine, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Glycerin, Lecithin, Carbomer, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root Extract
AstringentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoconut Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Zinc PCA, Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sucrose Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Coconut Alcohol, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
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 TriglycerideCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilThis Honeysuckle flower extract comes from the Italian honeysuckle. It is an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and fragrance.
Both this and the Japanese Honeysuckle are rich in a natural paraben that give it antimicrobial property. They are effective in inhibiting bacteria, yeast, and mold.
Honeysuckle contains flavonoids and saponins. Both of these components are natural antioxidants that can help soothe the skin.
As most flowers do, honeysuckle has a natural fragrance.
Learn more about Lonicera Caprifolium Flower ExtractLonicera Japonica Flower Extract comes from the honeysuckle flower.
Honeysuckles have skin protecting, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains many antioxidants, such as luteolin, caffeic acid, loniflavone, and chlorogenic acids.
This honeysuckle is native to East Asia and used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever and inflammation.
Learn more about Lonicera Japonica Flower ExtractTocopherol 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 Water
