What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
HumectantJojoba Esters
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingRetinol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientErgothioneine
AntioxidantGellan Gum
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Isopentyldiol, Jojoba Esters, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Ergothioneine, Gellan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Cetearyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPetrolatum
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningTapioca Starch
Dimethicone
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tapioca Starch, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 19140, CI 17200
Reviews
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 TriglycerideCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideCetyl 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.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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