What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Lanolin
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Rosinate
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Canola Oil
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Zinc Oxide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cera Alba, Lanolin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Rosinate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Canola Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cera Alba
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil
Emollient
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cera Alba, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Persea Gratissima Oil, Propolis Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCera alba is beeswax, or the wax used by bees to make honeycombs. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient. A study from 2003 found beeswax to be a stronger emollient than ingredients such as petroleum jelly.
As an emollient, beeswax helps hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in.
Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating. This helps create consistent texture.
The structure of beeswax is mainly long-chain alcohols and the esters of fatty acids.
There are three types of beeswax: yellow, white, and absolute. Yellow is pure beeswax taken from the honeycomb. White beeswax is created by filtering or bleaching yellow beeswax. Absolute beeswax is created by treating beeswax with alcohol. Beeswax used in cosmetics are purified.
Beeswax has been used throughout history and even in prehistoric times. Some common uses for beeswax still used today are making candles, as a waterproofing agent, and polish for leather.
Beeswax's wax esters are derived primarily from palmitic and oleic acid (C16 and C18:1). Both of these fall within the C11-C24 feeding window.
The Malassezia yeast can potentially cleave these esters and release usable fatty acids, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. However, not everyone will react to this ingredient.
Learn more about Cera AlbaHydrogenated Castor Oil (aka "castor wax") is what you get when castor oil is turned into a wax.
Its dominant fatty acid is ricinoleic acid, giving it both emollient and mild humectant properties.
According to EU CosIng, this ingredient helps soften skin, keep oil and water stay mixed, and thickens products.
Hydrogenated castor oil at 30% did not trigger a positive patch-test reaction and is well-tolerated.
Since this ingredient is based on an 18-carbon fatty acid, it falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on and may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Hydrogenated Castor 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 OilThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed 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
