What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Triacetin
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, Urea, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyquaternium-51, Hyaluronic Acid, Triacetin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Honey Extract
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Propolis Extract, Honey Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Propylene Glycol, Guaiazulene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Carbomer, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
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 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 CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
