What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Water, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limonene, Linalool
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Water, Diisostearyl Malate, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Allantoin, Panthenol, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractHelianthus 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 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 sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis 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.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a tetraester from oleic acid and polyethylene glycol ether of sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it helps ingredients such as oil and water mix together. This allows the dirt and oils in your skin to be washed away.
One study found pumpkin oil containing Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate helped hydrate the skin and did not cause any irritation.
Learn more about Sorbeth-30 TetraoleateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
