What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSilybum Marianum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantCetyl Palmitate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantPropanediol
SolventTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Lactic Acid
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Silybum Marianum Seed Oil, Betaine, Xylitylglucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Cetyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Oleate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Propanediol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsohexadecane
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentNiacinamide
SmoothingIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Dipeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-3
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethiconol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Distarch Phosphate, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-3, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Titanium Dioxide, Mica
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 TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWater. 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