What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Diatomaceous Earth
Abrasive
Charcoal
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Stearate
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Antioxidant
Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Lactiflora Extract
AstringentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Betaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saussurea Involucrata Extract
HumectantBisabolol
Antioxidant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningWater, Kaolin, Glycerin, Diatomaceous Earth, Charcoal, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Extract, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hexylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Salicylic Acid, Betaine Salicylate, Glycolic Acid, Ceramide NP, Niacinamide, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Propolis Extract, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Bisabolol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients 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 TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCetearyl 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 AlcoholCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
