What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 80, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Hyaluronic Acid, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Potassium Sorbate, Tromethamine, Panthenol
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract
EmollientSteareth-21
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTribehenin
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Steareth-21, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Squalene, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Tocopherol, Retinol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Polysorbate 60, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Ceramide Ng, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Caramel
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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
