What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
Emulsifying3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberLinalool
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Carrageenan
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Laureth-7, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, BHT, Sodium Citrate, Limonene, Dipropylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Parfum, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Linalool, Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin, Alcohol, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Ubiquinone, Carrageenan, CI 14700, CI 15985, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Honey
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Honey, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
