What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Oleyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla Cera, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Myristic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Parfum, Sorbitol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Citric Acid, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Limonene, Coumarin, Linalool, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bentonite
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Mea
BufferingTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tyrosine
MaskingHydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPolysilicone-11
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Petrolatum
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Lipids
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Isoamyl Laurate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Phosphatidylcholine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Dimethyl Mea, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tyrosine, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polysilicone-11, Phenoxyethanol, Petrolatum, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Glycolic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Lipids, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phytosterols, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholCaprylic/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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Water. 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
