What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCeteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower
Antioxidant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Arbutin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tranexamic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicetyl Phosphate, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Carbomer, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Emulsifying Wax Nf
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingIngredients 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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
