What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Soy Acid
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glutathione
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Kojic Dipalmitate
Emollient
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Trideceth-6 Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Dimethicone, Tranexamic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Soy Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Glutathione, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Kojic Dipalmitate, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Retinol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ceramide NP, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Laureth-23, Trideceth-6 Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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.
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 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 TriglycerideIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecanePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
