What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C9-12 Alkane
SolventTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Cera Alba
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventSodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Irvingia Gabonensis Kernel Butter
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Zinc Oxide, C9-12 Alkane, Titanium Dioxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyhydroxystearate, Cera Alba, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, C10-18 Triglycerides, C15-19 Alkane, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Octyldodecanol, Lauroyl Lysine, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Silica, Stearic Acid, Irvingia Gabonensis Kernel Butter, Parfum, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Glycine, Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Butylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Oxothiazolidine
Skin ProtectingSaccharin
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientOctyldodecanol, Polyethylene, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Wax, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Water, Aluminum Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Oxothiazolidine, Saccharin, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77891, Tocopheryl Glucoside
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 TriglycerideHydrogenated Castor Oil (aka "castor wax") is what you get when castor oil is turned into a wax.
Its dominant fatty acid is ricinoleic acid, giving it both emollient and mild humectant properties.
According to EU CosIng, this ingredient helps soften skin, keep oil and water stay mixed, and thickens products.
Hydrogenated castor oil at 30% did not trigger a positive patch-test reaction and is well-tolerated.
Since this ingredient is based on an 18-carbon fatty acid, it falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on and may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Hydrogenated Castor OilOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
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
