What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phosphoric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Petrolatum, Urea, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C10-18 Triglycerides, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, T-Butyl Alcohol, Phosphoric Acid, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diglycerin
Humectant
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-20
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Squalane
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Diglycerin, C10-18 Triglycerides, Petrolatum, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Squalane, Ectoin, Phospholipids, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Polysorbate 60, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sorbitan Isostearate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Guaiazulene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C10-18 Triglycerides is a skin conditioning and texture-enhancer.
It is created from glycerin and a mixture of C10-18 fatty acids.
This ingredient improves spreadability and helps thicken a product.
According to manufacturers, it usually comes from vegetable-based saturated fatty acids. Common bases for this ingredient are coconut oil, palm kernel oil, or both.
Due to the melting point being close to skin temperature, it is usually used in lip products.
Triglycerides are a main component of fat in the human body.
Learn more about C10-18 TriglyceridesCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
