What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Squalane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Behenyl/Oleyl Behenate/Oleate Esters
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
PCA
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone
Masking
Mannitol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Squalane, Water, Dextrin Palmitate, Behenyl/Oleyl Behenate/Oleate Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Sorbitan Olivate, Gluconolactone, Microcrystalline Wax, Hyaluronic Acid, Betaine, Ubiquinone, Ceramide Ng, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, PCA, Sodium PCA, Glycerin, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone, Mannitol, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Phosphatidylcholine, Decyl Glucoside, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/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 TriglycerideCeramide NG is a type of Ceramide. The NG stands for a sphinganine base.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here:
Ceramide AP
Ceramide EOP
Ceramide NP
Glycerin (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 Glycerin
