What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Octyldodecanol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Panthenol, Ceteareth-20, Propylene Glycol, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Extract
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlucose
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Panthenol, Distarch Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Carbomer, Glucose, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
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 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides isn't fungal acne safe.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
