What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sucrose Dilaurate
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Umbelliformis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Maltodextrin, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Pisum Sativum Extract, Artemisia Umbelliformis Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Retinol, BHT, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Bakuchiol, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Lactic Acid, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ferulic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Undecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Mukul Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tridecane
Perfuming
Propanediol
Solvent
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetyl Stearate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycol Distearate, Palmitic Acid, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Undecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Nicotinate, Cetyl Alcohol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Beta-Glucan, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Ornithine, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sucrose Palmitate, Adenosine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Allantoin, Panthenol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Levulinic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Tridecane, Propanediol, Isostearyl Isostearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Linoleate, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Cetyl Stearate, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sorbitan Laurate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Citric Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Citral
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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
