What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butane
Water
Skin ConditioningIsobutane
Diethylhexyl Adipate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Undecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Oleate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butane, Water, Isobutane, Diethylhexyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Undecane, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Glycerin, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Tridecane, Dibutyl Adipate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglyceryl-3 Oleate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate, Saccharide Isomerate, Arginine, Coco-Glucoside, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Zinc Oxide 22.75%
Cosmetic Colorant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Iron Oxides
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningRice Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Oxide 22.75%, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Iron Oxides, Isostearic Acid, Octyldodecanol, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Proline, Water, Rice Amino Acids, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
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 TriglycerideDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
