What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Ethylcellulose
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Aroma
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Bixa Orellana Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Grandis Peel Extract
Astringent
Octyldodecanol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Ethylcellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Aroma, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Water, Glycine Soja Oil, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Extract
Petrolatum
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingC18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Aroma
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Triacetin
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Petrolatum, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Wax, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Aroma, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Triacetin, Propylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Oil, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aroma refers to an ingredient, or mixture of ingredients, that impart or mask a flavor.
The name is slightly confusing. This is because INCI associates aroma with flavor instead of smell.
Here is the official definition from the The International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook:
“Aroma is a term for ingredient labeling used to identify that a product contains a material or combination of materials normally added to a cosmetic to produce or to mask a particular flavor.”
INCI shows the only purpose of aroma to be "flavouring".
However, due to regulation differences, some companies may use aroma in place of parfum.
In Canada, this ingredient only has to be listed in concentrations above 1%.
Learn more about AromaAscorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited.
Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilThis ingredient is also known as flaxseed oil or linseed oil. It is created by cold-pressing the seeds of the flax plant and is rich in fatty acids.
This oil is packed with omega-3 (ALA), omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids that closely mimic the skin's own natural lipid barrier. The high omega-3 content gives it solid anti-inflammatory properties.
Clinical studies have found it can reduce water loss and improve smoothness/hydration, particularly in sensitive skin types. Studies also suggest it helps maintain the lipid layer that is compromised in atopic (eczema-prone) skin.
Wound healing studies showed that low-concentration linseed oil formulations (1-5%) produced significant barrier repair, but it should be noted that high concentrations showed diminishing returns.
Due to the rich fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Linum Usitatissimum 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 OilTocopherol 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
