What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Panthenol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Hydroxyapatite
Abrasive
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingOleic Acid
Emollient
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningPopulus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCellulose
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Bran Cera
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Dibutyl Adipate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, CI 77220, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Hydroxyapatite, Oryza Sativa Starch, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Oleic Acid, Plankton Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Cellulose, Oryza Sativa Bran Cera, Xanthan Gum, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
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 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
