What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Menthol
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camphor
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Morus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Gigas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAsarum Sieboldii Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBiota Orientalis Leaf Extract
HumectantGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCornus Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAlisma Orientale Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantCorchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Smilax Glabra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Illite
Abrasive
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
Humectant
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantSilk Extract
Skin ConditioningVolcanic Ash Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Silkworm Cocoon Extract
HumectantMilk Protein Extract
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Cholesterol
Emollient
Serine
Masking
Asparagine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningAspartic Acid
Masking
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningSilk Powder
Skin ConditioningKeratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Valine
MaskingTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Cysteine
Antioxidant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningTryptophan
MaskingLinalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Glutamic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Isoamyl Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Menthol, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Camphor, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Asarum Sieboldii Root Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Biota Orientalis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Alisma Orientale Tuber Extract, Biotin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Smilax Glabra Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Illite, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Honey Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Silk Extract, Volcanic Ash Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Silkworm Cocoon Extract, Milk Protein Extract, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Silk, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycine, Cholesterol, Serine, Asparagine, Leucine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamine, Silk Powder, Keratin Amino Acids, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Valine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, Tryptophan, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Xylitol
Humectant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningRubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Benzoate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Citric Acid, Xylitol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Gluconate, Glucose, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract, Parfum
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 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.
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 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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilWater. 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
