What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Petrolatum
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTapioca Starch
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Stearamide Amp
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Starch Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Lysine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Petrolatum, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tapioca Starch, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Stearamide Amp, Titanium Dioxide, Starch Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium PCA, Betaine, Sodium Lactate, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Lysine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Stearic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Gluconolactone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate
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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 StearateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
