What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Stearate
CleansingTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosa Eglantaria Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Stearate, Potassium Stearate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Rosa Eglantaria Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Cocoate
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Squalane, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Myristyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Ceramide NP, Retinol, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Ceramide EOP, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
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 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 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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, itās 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 āoil-freeā isnāt 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 SqualaneXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
