What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventCeteareth-20
CleansingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantSodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-15 Alkane, Ceramide NP, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, PEG-40 Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Ubiquinone, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C15-19 Alkane, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Polyglycerin-6, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Viscum Album Fruit Extract
Soothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Dihydroxyisopropyl Palmoylpalmamide
HumectantBis-Capryloyloxypalmitamido Isopropanol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Heptapeptide-4
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Panthenol, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Viscum Album Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Dihydroxyisopropyl Palmoylpalmamide, Bis-Capryloyloxypalmitamido Isopropanol, Allantoin, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Madecassoside, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
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 TriglycerideCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlyceryl 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 StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
