What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Olivate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Sodium PCA, Hydroxyproline, Proline, Panthenol, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycine Soja Oil, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethyl Citrate, Benzoic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Isononyl Isononanoate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glycine Soja Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Maltodextrin
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 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 GlycerinGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilPanthenol 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 PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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
