What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientParaffin
Skin ConditioningCastor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientSqualane
EmollientEuphorbia Cerifera Cera
AstringentEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningPropylene Carbonate
SolventCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientIron Oxides
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Isopropyl Isostearate, Octyldodecanol, Paraffin, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Squalane, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cera Microcristallina, Synthetic Wax, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauroyl Lysine, Propylene Carbonate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Vegetable Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Iron Oxides, CI 15850, CI 77891, CI 45410, Mica, CI 19140, CI 15985, CI 42090
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientMethyl Hydrogenated Rosinate
PerfumingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydrogenated Styrene/Methylstyrene/Indene Copolymer
Polybutene
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentEthylene/Propylene Copolymer
AbrasiveCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingAlumina
AbrasiveCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Carbonate
SolventMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAmmonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantSqualene
EmollientBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingTin Oxide
AbrasiveBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Octyldodecanol, Methyl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Styrene/Methylstyrene/Indene Copolymer, Polybutene, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cera Microcristallina, Synthetic Wax, Zea Mays Starch, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, CI 77891, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Alumina, CI 77491, Parfum, CI 77492, Propylene Carbonate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, CI 15850, CI 77499, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Squalene, Beta-Sitosterol, Tin Oxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 is a synthetic emollient that works as a lanolin substitute.
This ingredient is a great vegan option for those avoiding animal-derived ingredients.
It mostly stays on the surface of skin where it helps hydrate due to its large molecular size and low water solubility.
Due to it being derived from fatty acids, this ingredient may not be Malassezia or fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2Cera Microcristallina, aka microcrystalline wax, is a petroleum-derived wax that helps thicken texture and stabilize the oils in formulas.
It also has mild occlusive properties that creates a film on skin to slow down water loss.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
This ingredient is refined to a cosmetic grade with high purity. It is chemically inert, stable, and doesn't clog pores (petroleum has a comedogenic rating of 0).
Malassezia feeds on fatty acids roughly in the C11-24 range and this ingredient contains none of those. Since there's no plausible food source for it here, this ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cera MicrocristallinaCi 15850 is the pigment color red. It is an azo dye and created synthetically.
Azo dyes need to be thoroughly purified before use. This allows them to be more stable and longer-lasting.
This ingredient is common in foundations, lipsticks, and blushes. This color is described as brown/orangey red.
It has many secondary names such as Red 6 and Red 7. According to a manufacturer, Red 6 usually contains aluminum.
Learn more about CI 15850Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Helianthus 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 OilOctyldodecanol 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.
This ingredient is a solvent. It helps dissolve active ingredients and alter the texture of products.
Propylene Carbonate is commonly used in makeup and with clay, such as montmorillonite or bentonite.
Studies show this ingredient to be safe for cosmetics. When it is undiluted, it can cause skin irritation. (It is always diluted in skincare and makeup). This ingredient is water-soluble.
Propylene Carbonate is created from propylene glycol and carbonic acid.
Learn more about Propylene CarbonateThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilStearalkonium Hectorite is a clay-derived ingredient used to thicken a product and help create a gel-like texture.
Synthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxTocopherol 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