What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingAlgin
Masking
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 80, Jojoba Esters, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Algin, Sucrose Cocoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Trehalose
Humectant
Volcanic Ash
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Bentonite
Absorbent
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOrchid Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract
HumectantBambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingDextrin
AbsorbentPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Silica, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Trehalose, Volcanic Ash, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Bentonite, Zinc Oxide, Polysorbate 60, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Orchid Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Kaolin, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Pvp, Dextrin, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491
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 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sorbitan Stearate is an emulsifier made by reacting sorbitol with stearic acid.
It's mostly used to keep oil and water mixed so your formulas stay smooth and stable.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has found 4% of this ingredient in repeat-insult patch tests on humans to be non-sensitizing. There is a caveat that some reactions have shown up in patients with damaged or diseased skin.
Because it is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it falls into the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize. This means this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan StearateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
