What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingDextrin Palmitate
EmulsifyingAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
EmollientMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Seed Oil
EmollientCucumis Sativus Seed Oil
EmollientPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantPassiflora Edulis Seed Oil
EmollientHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCholesterol
EmollientCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPortulaca Pilosa Extract
Skin ConditioningSucrose Cocoate
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantEthyl Vanillin
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
EmollientCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantDiisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Synthetic Beeswax, Dextrin Palmitate, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Phytosterols, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Ubiquinone, Ferulic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Sucrose Cocoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glyceryl Stearate, Allantoin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ethyl Vanillin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipropylene Glycol, CI 77891, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, CI 77491, CI 77492
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPolybutene
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveOctyldodecanol
EmollientHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPolyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
EmulsifyingDimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientGlyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
EmollientTriethyl Citrate
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingTribehenin
EmollientStevioside
MaskingEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polybutene, Microcrystalline Wax, Synthetic Beeswax, Synthetic Wax, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Triethyl Citrate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Lactic Acid, Tribehenin, Stevioside, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disteardimonium Hectorite, O-Cymen-5-Ol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Diisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.
Learn more about Hydrogenated PolyisobutenePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateSynthetic beeswax is created to be identical in structure to beeswax without involving bees, making it a go-to for vegan formulas.
It's mainly used an an emulsion stabilizer and thickener.
This ingredient (alongside other synthetic waxes) have been concluded to be safe in cosmetics under the present practices.
Reported usage goes up to 18% and it is non-sensitizing.
Just one caveat for fungal acne: This ingredient is made up of C16-32 fatty acids and fatty acid esters. Part of this overlaps with the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on, so it's not fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Synthetic BeeswaxTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about Tocopherol