What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBellis Perennis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventTranexamic Acid
AstringentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
AntioxidantPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingPaeonia Lactiflora Extract
AstringentPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingGlucose
HumectantSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Extract
AntioxidantFragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhospholipids
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Niacinamide, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract, Diglycerin, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Tranexamic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Arginine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Alpha-Arbutin, Allantoin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Extract, Polysorbate 80, Glucose, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Phenoxyethanol, Phospholipids, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantKojic Acid
AntioxidantAcetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Sulfite
PreservativeAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSaxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantPaeonia Suffruticosa Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialGlutathione
PEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientDihydroxyacetic Acid
BufferingBioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningAlgae
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCarnitine
CleansingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTea-Salicylate
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCarnitine Tartrate
Parfum
MaskingBHT
AntioxidantTriethanolamine
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Kojic Acid, Acetyl Tyrosine, Sodium Sulfite, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Arbutin, Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Glutathione, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Dihydroxyacetic Acid, Bioflavonoids, Algae, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Centella Asiatica Extract, Carnitine, Caffeine, Tea-Salicylate, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, CI 77891, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Carnitine Tartrate, Parfum, BHT, Triethanolamine
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholWater. 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