What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Undecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningBidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingMethoxyhydroxyphenyl Isopropylnitrone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Undecane, Tridecane, Butylene Glycol, Triheptanoin, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Octyldodecanol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Behenyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Physalis Angulata Extract, Methoxyhydroxyphenyl Isopropylnitrone, Citric Acid, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientIsopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Lycopene
Antioxidant
Marrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Methicone, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Isohexadecane, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Linoleic Acid, Lycopene, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Phospholipids, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Tocopheryl Acetate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 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 GlycerinWater. 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
