What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Jasminum Officinale Flower Water
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water
MaskingMentha Piperita Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningNelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGossypium Herbaceum Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Napus Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientCananga Odorata Flower Extract
Perfuming
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract
TonicMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnolia Kobus Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Sorbitan Stearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclomethicone, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Jasminum Officinale Flower Water, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water, Mentha Piperita Leaf Water, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Gossypium Herbaceum Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Brassica Napus Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Carbomer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
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 ingredientâs 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium Carbomer is used to thicken products and create a gel-like consistency.
It is synthetically created from carbomer and sodium salt.
Water. 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
