What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingInulin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Methicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Betaine, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carpobrotus Edulis Extract
Stearyl Heptanoate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearyl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, C10-18 Triglycerides, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carpobrotus Edulis Extract, Stearyl Heptanoate, Parfum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Caprylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
