Burt's Bees Renewing Lip Treatment Versus Florence by Mills True To Hue pH Adjusting Lip & Cheek Balm
This barrier-repair lip moisturizer is formulated around Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to strengthen the lip barrier and hydrate lips.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Garcinia Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Lanolin
Emollient
Aroma
Lecithin
Emollient
Silybin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Rebaudioside A
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Beeswax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Octyldodecanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vegetable Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Ceramide NP, Glycine Soja Oil, Lanolin, Aroma, Lecithin, Silybin, Tocopherol, Rebaudioside A, Citric Acid, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax is created from the common sunflower.
Sunflower seed wax is made up of long chain non-glyceride esters, a small amount of fatty alcohols, and fatty acids.
This ingredient is often used to enhance the texture of products. The fatty acid properties also help hydrate the skin.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed WaxLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Tocopherol 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
