What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Honey Extract
Humectant
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropolis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Honey Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, Arginine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Eragrostis Tef Seed Extract
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coconut Alkanes, Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Bakuchiol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Lactobacillus, Ceramide NP, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrolyzed Eragrostis Tef Seed Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Medicago Sativa Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Citric Acid, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Sodium Phytate, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Alcohol, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Farnesol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHelianthus 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 OilSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan Olivate
