What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingCorylus Avellana Seed Oil
EmollientOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientPunica Granatum Seed Oil
EmollientAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
AntioxidantCitrus Junos Peel Oil
AstringentCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Reticulata Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
PerfumingParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingSesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Plankton Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Corylus Avellana Seed Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Geraniol
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Wood Oil
PerfumingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingJuniperus Communis Fruit Oil
MaskingCrithmum Maritimum Oil
Origanum Majorana Flower/Leaf/Stem Oil
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingSesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Limonene, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Wood Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil, Crithmum Maritimum Oil, Origanum Majorana Flower/Leaf/Stem Oil, Citronellol, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about CitralThis ingredient is also known as grapefruit peel oil. It is mainly used as a fragrance/perfuming ingredient and is made up of about 99-92% limonene.
Though in vitro or food science has shown this oil to be antibacterial, possess antioxidant activity, and be anti-inflammatory, there's very little research testing it directly on human skin or in cosmetics.
Limonene is a known skin sensitizer. Because grapefruit peel oil can contain furanocoumarins, this ingredient can also cause phototoxicity. It is possible to created furanocoumarin-free versions that are not phototoxic; it is best to reach out to the brand if you have questions about this ingredient in your cosmetics.
Learn more about Citrus Paradisi Peel OilGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a small, naturally occurring scent molecule found in plants like lavender, coriander, bergamot, and more.
It is one of the two most-used fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and added purely for smell. Since it's not used for a skin benefit, there's no "effective dose". Concentration depends on the fragrance load of the product.
The EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Fresh linalool is a weak sensitizer but air exposure turns some of it into hydroperoxides, which are strong sensitizers. Those oxidation products are the actual allergy concern.
Patch-test clinics see positive reactions to linalool hydroperoxides in about 4% to 12% of dermatitis patients depending on country and test concentration.
Resassuringly, one analytical study found hydroperoxide levels in real fragranced products to be orders of magnitude below what induced sensitization in animal studies with no evidence of oxidation building up during normal storage.
The practical takeaway is that linalool is fine for most people but worth avoiding if you have a confirmed fragrance contact allergy or a badly compromised barrier.
Products stored a long time after opening are also the high-risk scenario since that is when oxidation happens.
The scent of linalool is described as floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilSesamum Indicum Seed Oil is the cold-pressed oil from sesame seeds.
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent made up of roughly 82-85% unsaturated fatty acids, mostly linoleic (~41%) and oleic acid (~39%).
This pairing gives it barrier-supporting and moisturizing properties. Linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid, can be incorporated into complex skin lipids. Topical application has shown barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects in cell and animal studies.
Beyond fatty acids, sesame oil brings something more distinctive to the table:
It contains natural antioxidants sesamol, sesamolin, and gamma-tocopherol. These also give the oil notably high oxidative stability.
One of the oil's key lignans, sesamin, has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical models.
A 2023 clinical study found that a single application of sesame seed oil to the forearms of 35 healthy women improved stratum corneum hydration (though it didn't outperform raspberry seed oil).
The comedogenic rating of 1-3 depends on the type of sesame oil; unrefined carries a rating of 3 while refined sesame oil drops to a 1.
This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne as it contains fatty acids that can feed Malassezia.
Learn more about Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil