What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingMethylpropanediol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyether-1
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Water, Zinc Oxide, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Methicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Methylpropanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Polyether-1, T-Butyl Alcohol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone
Emollient
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
Isohexadecane
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Octocrylene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Titanium Dioxide, C14-22 Alcohols, Dimethicone, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Parfum, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Aluminum Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Oleate, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideWater. 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
