What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Diethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientEthoxydiglycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Physalis Angulata Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethiconol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Pentylene Glycol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, BHT, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Metabisulfite
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sorbeth-30
EmulsifyingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cyclohexane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
PEG-15 Glyceryl Stearate
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, Sorbeth-30, Retinyl Palmitate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cyclohexane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, PEG-15 Glyceryl Stearate, Octyldodecanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentylene Glycol, Lecithin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrogenated Lecithin, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzyl Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCaprylic/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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
