What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
Tromethamine
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Malt Extract
Skin ProtectingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Canola Oil
Emollient
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningSodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dipropylene Glycol, Carbomer, Panthenol, Hexylresorcinol, Tromethamine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Alpha-Arbutin, Sorbitan Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Kojic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Malt Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Asiatic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Madecassoside, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ectoin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Canola Oil, Beta-Sitosterol, Phytosterols, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Beta-Carotene, Sodium Dna, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningMethyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate
Skin ProtectingPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Methyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate, Phytosterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Arginine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone
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.
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 preservatives
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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhytosterols are plant-derived sterols (you can think of them as the plant world's version of cholesterol). In cosmetics, this ingredient is usually sourced from soybean, rice bran, shea, sunflower, and other seed oils.
The main actors in this group are β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol (the CIR covers 27 phytosterols).
They work by fitting perfectly into your stratum corneum's lipid matrix since they're structurally similar to cholesterol. Here, they reinforce your skin's barrier.
One small in vivo human study showed topical soybean phytosterols sped up barrier recovery within three days on tape-stripped skin.
Broader research credits them with:
Formulation use typically sit under 5%.
Testing in soy-allergic subjects found no sensitization signals, but be sure to patch test if you are unsure or have existing allergies.
Learn more about PhytosterolsTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
