What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantOctyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAlaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingPEG-8
HumectantPropylene Glycol Stearate
Skin ConditioningKluyveromyces/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Saccharomyces Milk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientLauryl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingLecithin
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
EmollientCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lactic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-8, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Kluyveromyces/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Saccharomyces Milk Ferment Filtrate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Myristyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Polysorbate 20, Behenyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Octyldodecanol, Ceramide Ng, Sorbitan Laurate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Mica, CI 77891
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPyrus Malus Juice
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Juice
AntioxidantCitrus Limon Juice
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlgae Extract
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
AntioxidantOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentPanthenol
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantLonicera Caprifolium Extract
AstringentLonicera Japonica Callus Extract
Skin ProtectingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingThioctic Acid
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingCinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingEthyl Linalool
MaskingCitral
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Caprylyl Glycol, Pyrus Malus Juice, Vitis Vinifera Juice, Citrus Limon Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Algae Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Ubiquinone, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Allantoin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Panthenol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Lonicera Caprifolium Extract, Lonicera Japonica Callus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Thioctic Acid, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Ethyl Linalool, Citral, Limonene, Geraniol
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 TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate