What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Oleamide Mea
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Phytosterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Jojoba Esters, Oleamide Mea, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Butylene Glycol, Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Gluconolactone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dimethicone, Cyanocobalamin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerThis 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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
