Versus

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil Versus Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Face Oil

Oil
Oil
British Brand United Kingdom
American Brand United States

Updated on October 11, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe oils. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain retinoid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens, fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Face Oil

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate is derived from cetearyl alcohol and sorbic acid.

It is an emollient and helps hydrate the skin. Emollients form a barrier on the skin to prevent water from escaping.

Emollient, Masking

Isopropyl Myristate is an emollient, thickening agent, and texture enhancer. It is created from isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid.

It is used to help other ingredients be better absorbed. It is also an emollient and may help soften and hydrate the skin.

The comedogenic rating of this ingredient depends on the concentration. Lower amounts results in a lower rating.

Isopropyl Myristate may not be fungal acne safe. It can potentially worsen acne prone skin.

Learn more about Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.

Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.

These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.

Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.

Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.

Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
Masking, Perfuming

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of β€œFRAGRANCE” or β€œPARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum
Perfuming, Skin Conditioning

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone is a fragrance. It can be synthetically created or naturally occurring.

The scent of Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone is described as "flowery" but can also be "woody".

Naturally occurring Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone may be found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or the yeast used to make wine and bread.

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 Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

Learn more about Citronellol
Perfuming, Tonic

Geraniol 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 Geraniol

When to use

376 Routines
40% use in am
60% use in pm
91% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
68 Routines
26% use in am
74% use in pm
87% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil 27 ingredients

2.9 /5
from 7 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Broke Me Out (1) Expensive (1)
fmlcrps's avatar

fmlcrps

2 years ago
Review

Only use it for body if you have sensitive face.
Broke my fungal acne out like crazy after I use it on face for 2 nights. I wonder why it works so well for other people acne scars. But it really has effect on lightening some scars on my body.

fawns's avatar

🐾

10 months ago
Review

β™‘οΈŽ
- 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗇𝗍 π—ˆπ—‚π—…, π—‡π—ˆπ—π—π—‚π—‡π—€ π—Œπ—‰π–Ύπ–Όπ—‚π–Ίπ—…
- 𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗐𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π—†π–Ίπ—„π–Ύπ—Œ 𝗆𝗒 π—Œπ—„π—‚π—‡ π—Œπ—ˆπ–Ώπ—
- 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 π–½π—ˆ 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 π–»π—Žπ— π—ƒπ—Žπ—Œπ— 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗆𝗒 π—Œπ—„π—‚π—‡ π—†π—ˆπ—‚π—Œπ—π—Žπ—‹π—‚π—“π–Ύπ–½
- π—‡π—ˆπ— π—π—ˆπ—‹π—π— 𝗂𝗍 π–Ώπ—ˆπ—‹ 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝖼𝖾
- π—π—ˆπ—Žπ—…π–½π—‡'𝗍 π–»π—Žπ—’ 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇 π–»π—Žπ— π–½π—ˆπ—‡'𝗍 𝗆𝗂𝗇𝖽 π—Žπ—Œπ—‚π—‡π—€ 𝗂𝗍

#expensive
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Face Oil 31 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Aries's avatar

Aries

2 years ago
Review

Great Product
Another one of my favorites from Palmers. This and the fade milk kept my skin smooth, glowing, and even for decades.

averyjadkins's avatar

averyjadkins

1 year ago
Review

Makes my skin so hydrated and helps my acne