What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCeteareth-20
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Dilaurate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dehydroacetic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantParfum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
AbrasiveSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
ChelatingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialWater, Stearic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, O-Cymen-5-Ol
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 ingredient’s 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 TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 DimethiconeParfum 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 ParfumThis ingredient is also known as Cocoa butter; it's the fat pressed out of roasted cocoa beans.
Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature and melts right around body temperature, which is why it feels waxy in the jar and slippery on skin.
It has a very saturated profile (stearic acid ~34 to 36%, oleic acid ~30 to 40%, and palmitic acid ~24 to 29%) that makes it a strong occlusive: it sits on top and slows water escaping from skin.
Concentration data shows that it can show up anywhere from a few percent in lotions up to 100% in balms, and the FDA lists cocoa butter as an OTC skin protectant active at 50-100%.
The CIR has reviewed it and concluded it to be safe as used in cosmetics.
This is one of the ingredients with a comedogenic score of 4/5 from the rabbit ear test. Just know that a later human study did find that finished products containing high-comedogenic ingredients like cocoa butter did not increase microcomedone formation.
The fair call here is that this ingredient is most likely fine on body or low-percentage formulas, but can potentially be riskier as a heavy leave-on facial product if you break out easily.
Cocoa butter may not be fungal acne safe; it is a triglyceride of C16-18 fatty acids that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Allergies to cocoa butter are rare and uncommon, but a few cases have been documented (mostly in cases where the person ate chocolate). So if you have a tree nut allergy, be sure to patch test or avoid.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterWater. 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