What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingSalvia Sclarea Oil
MaskingCalophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
AntimicrobialBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil is from the seeds of the starflower plant. This plant grows primarily in Europe.
This oil does not have a scent. It contains fatty acids such as linolenic acid. These fatty acids help keep skin hydrated.
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Learn more about Borago Officinalis Seed OilLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
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 LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolOenothera Biennis Oil (aka Evening Primrose Oil) is a non-fragrant oil from the evening primrose. Like other botanical oils, it is an emollient that helps hydrate and nourish skin.
It has an interesting fatty acid profile: linoleic (70-74%) and γ-linolenic (8-10%), with some amounts ofoleic palmitic, and stearic acids.
The gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) is the headliner here; it's relatively rare in plant oils and acts as a precursor for anti-inflammatory signaling molecules in the skin.
There's a mixed body of clinical research with this ingredient as well, mostly on eczema/atopic dermatitis skin.
Some controlled trials showed improvement in inflammation, dryness, scaling, and overall severity. Other studies and large meta-analysis failed to show a significant effect; the honest takeaway here is "promising but inconsistent" rather than "miracle oil".
On the safety front, this ingredient is found to be safe as used in cosmetics and even has a history of safe food use.
Since this oil is contains oleic acid and palmitic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Oleic Acid sits at C18 and Palmitic acid sits at C16.
In vitro studies have shown that oleic acid and palmitic acid are some of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
Learn more about Oenothera Biennis OilJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil