What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil
Astringent
Disodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isoamyl Cocoate
Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isoamyl Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, CI 42090, CI 19140, Parfum, Geraniol, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool
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 AlcoholCitral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about CitralGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWater. 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
