What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Buteth-3
SolventSodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberTributyl Citrate
SolventEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Triethylhexanoin, Synthetic Wax, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Nonapeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Buteth-3, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Tributyl Citrate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
PEG-10 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Platycodon Grandiflorus Root Extract
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Mandshurica Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPantolactone
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Synthetic Wax, PEG-10 Isostearate, Guaiazulene, Platycodon Grandiflorus Root Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pantolactone
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
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 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 GlycolCetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
This ingredient is also known as Bhringaraj extract or False Daisy. It is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.
Research shows it has antioxidant properties; lab studies have found it can protect skin cells from UV-induced damage and help suppress inflammation.
There's also some interesting research on its potential to support hair growth by promoting the growth phase of the hair cycle.
Those with an allergy to plants in the daisy family may want to patch test this ingredient. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated otherwise.
Learn more about Eclipta Prostrata ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract is extract from the neem plant.
The leaves of this tree contain flavonoids and polyphenols. These two compounds are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial. Further research is needed as to their effects when applied on skin.
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne:
Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed OilSynthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxWater. 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
