What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropanediol
Solvent
Polysilicone-11
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate-13
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Laureth-12
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polysilicone-11, C10-18 Triglycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide NP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialParfum
Masking
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dicaprylyl Ether, Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Ethyl Oleate, Silica, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Magnesium Sulfate, Magnesium Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Juice, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitylglucoside, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Anhydroxylitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Xylitol, Alcohol Denat., Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Adenosine, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Parfum, CI 77491
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
