What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Myristate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingOryzanol
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantMyristyl Laurate
SurfactantHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
MaskingSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCinnamomum Camphora Linalooliferum Leaf Oil
PerfumingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingFoeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantParfum
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Oryzanol, Bisabolol, Myristyl Laurate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Cinnamomum Camphora Linalooliferum Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Parfum, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool
Squalane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSucrose Stearate
EmollientEthyl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSucrose Laurate
EmollientHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSucrose Dilaurate
EmollientSucrose Trilaurate
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantHydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Malic Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSqualane, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Sucrose Stearate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Laurate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isoceteth-20, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Malic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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