What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningShea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Swertia Chirata Extract
HumectantUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningEthyl Oleate
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Canola Oil
Emollient
Ethyl Linolenate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Ethyl Palmitate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningEthyl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningMethyl Nicotinate
SoothingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Synthetic Beeswax, Synthetic Wax, Squalane, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethyl Linoleate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Flower Extract, Swertia Chirata Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Ethyl Oleate, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Canola Oil, Ethyl Linolenate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trihydroxystearin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethyl Palmitate, Water, Ethyl Stearate, Glyceryl Behenate, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Sorbitan Oleate, Glucomannan, Methyl Nicotinate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dodecane
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventEthyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-11
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-72 Amide
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningBacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate-13
Pullulan
Polyisobutene
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingMalic Acid
Buffering
Dextran
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Dodecane, C15-19 Alkane, Ethyl Macadamiate, Silica, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-72 Amide, Acetyl Glutamine, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate-13, Pullulan, Polyisobutene, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lecithin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Malic Acid, Dextran, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Ā
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesĀ
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 ingredientās 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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolLecithin 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 LecithinPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Sodium 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
