What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acronychia Acidula Fruit Extract
HumectantEucalyptus Olida Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCydonia Oblonga Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Acronychia Acidula Fruit Extract, Eucalyptus Olida Leaf Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Cydonia Oblonga Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Metabisulfite, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingParfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Reviews
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 GlycerinSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateWater. 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
