What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientXylitylglucoside
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Heptapeptide-27
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide-78
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Octapeptide-24
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAnhydroxylitol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
HumectantLecithin
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantBisabolol
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTeprenone
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSorbic Acid
PreservativeLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyvinyl Alcohol
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Behenyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Niacinamide, Squalane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-27, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide-78, Palmitoyl Octapeptide-24, Phenoxyethanol, Anhydroxylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xylitol, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Teprenone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate
EmollientCetearyl Wheat Straw Glycosides
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantFructose
HumectantWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPyrus Malus Juice
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Juice
MoisturisingTriticum Vulgare Seed Extract
BufferingHordeum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasivePanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
EmollientMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingThymus Vulgaris Oil
MaskingArtemisia Dracunculus Oil
PerfumingBambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Cetearyl Wheat Straw Glycosides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Fructose, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Propanediol, Pyrus Malus Juice, Prunus Persica Juice, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Oil, Artemisia Dracunculus Oil, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 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 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 LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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.
This ingredient is a synthetic, salt form polymer built from acrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, or their simple esters. It works as a binder, film former, and viscosity increasing agent.
Typical concentrations start at around 0.5% but can go up to 25% for film-forming or binding.
The CIR Expert Panel assessed the safety of 126 acrylates copolymers and concluded they are safe in cosmetics at current use levels when formulated to be non-irritating. They also noted the levels present in finished cosmetic products are not considered a safety risk and Genotoxicity testing (Ames tests, chromosomal aberration assays) has come back negative across the board.
Though the raw building blocks (like acrylic acid) can be irritating on their own, cosmetic-grade versions go through purification to keep levels extremely low.
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer is a large molecule that doesn't penetrate skin barrier in any meaningful way.
Learn more about Sodium Acrylates CopolymerSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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