What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate
EmulsifyingDaucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Panicum Miliaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil
Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Masking
Hypericum Perforatum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Spicatum Wood Oil
Perfuming
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isoamyl Laurate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Panicum Miliaceum Seed Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Hypericum Perforatum Leaf Extract, Santalum Spicatum Wood Oil, Bisabolol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Farnesol, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilIsoamyl Laurate is a plant-derived and biodegradable lightweight emollient that is an Ecocert/COSMOS approved alternative to silicones.
It functions as an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin without leaving a greasy/sticky feel.
You'll find it in a range of products from makeup to sunscreen, and typically at low percentages (~2-5%).
This ingredient is deemed safe at current cosmetic use and non-sensitizing in human studies (it's even approved as a food additive flavoring substance).
Because this ingredient is an easter of lauric acid, it falls in the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on, making this ingredient not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isoamyl LaurateWe don't have a description for Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate yet.
Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate isn't fungal acne safe.
This is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractTocopherol 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
