What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rhizobian Gum
Ribose
HumectantAdansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Decyl Oleate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Coco-Caprylate, Hydrolyzed Rhizobian Gum, Ribose, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Silica, Tocopherol, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Vanillin, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Moschata Seed Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Beta-Glucan, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Serine, Urea, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Oleate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl 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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidThis ingredient is also known as Macadamia Seed Oil. It's an emollient with a fatty acid profile that closely mirrors the skin's own lipid makeup.
The palmitoleic acid content is especially notable as it's somewhat rare in plant oils. Palmitoleic acid is something your skin already makes naturally. It helps keep cell membranes structured and plays a role in fighting off harmful microbes.
This palmitoleic content is also part of why macademia seed oil absorbs quickly and doesn't leave much of a greasy residue.
It also contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, and phytosterols that can help reduce redness.
In vitro research has shown the oil to have meaningful antioxidant activity, protect fats in the skin from oxidative damage, and slow down the enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid.
A 2024 clinical study found it effective at improving skin hydratino and reducing wrinkle appearance when formulated into nanoemulsions.
Because it carries oleic acid (C18) and palmitic acid (C16), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the Malassezia yeast metabolizes in the C11-24 chain length range.
You'll also see this ingredient listed as: Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil .
These two oils are identical in composition and M. ternifolia is an older INCI naming convention for the edible macadamia nut while M. integrifolia is the species actually cultivated for oil production. Both names refer to the same oil.
Learn more about Macadamia Ternifolia Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
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
