What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil
Skin ProtectingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCocoglycerides
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Laurate, Tocopherol, Squalane, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Cocoglycerides, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantHypericum Perforatum Oil
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Water
MaskingAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientIsomalt
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialGardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture
AntioxidantEchinacea Angustifolia Extract
MoisturisingMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialHyaluronic Acid
HumectantArgania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Laurate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Hypericum Perforatum Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Isomalt, Alcohol, Gardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Phospholipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Argania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract, Lecithin, Ubiquinone, 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.
Carthamus tinctorius seed oil comes from safflower, one of humanity's oldest crops.
Safflower seed oil contains a high percentage of linoleic acid and oleic acid. It also contains Vitamin E. These three components are effective moisturizers.
Vitamin E helps nourish your skin's lipid barrier. It is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or unstable molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Due to its high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Thoughout history, safflower has been used for dying fabrics and in food as a saffron substitute.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilGlycerin (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 Laurate isn't fungal acne safe.
Helianthus 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 OilThis ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.
In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.
It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.
Learn more about Sodium LevulinateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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