What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientIsosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantifolia Peel Oil
MaskingCupressus Sempervirens Oil
MaskingCopaifera Officinalis Resin Oil
MaskingDioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningArctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Dimethicone, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Copaifera Officinalis Resin Oil, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
AntioxidantMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientHelichrysum Italicum Flower Oil
MaskingAdansonia Digitata Oil
EmollientMagnesium Chloride
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Wood Oil
PerfumingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingApium Graveolens Seed Oil
PerfumingCinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil
MaskingCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingEugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil
MaskingMentha Viridis Leaf Oil
AstringentPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingIllicium Verum Leaf Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingCinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Squalane, Helichrysum Italicum Flower Oil, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Magnesium Chloride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Wood Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Apium Graveolens Seed Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Illicium Verum Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Cinnamal, Limonene, Eugenol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Helianthus 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 Apricot kernel oil, and it comes form the seed kernels of apricot (a member of the Rosaceae family like almond, peach, cherry, and plum).
It's mostly made up of triglycerides: oleic acid (43.9-78.5%), linoleic acid (9.7-37%), and palmitic acid (4.9-7.3%). These numbers vary depending on the variety of Prunus and the ripeness of the fruit; oleic tends to go up at late harvest while linoleic goes down.
Vitamin E is also prevalent in this ingredient and the most dominant form is gamma-tocopherol.
These compounds give the ingredient emollient and skin conditioning properties that keep the skin soft and hydrated.
There's no regulatory maximum cap for this ingredient so you'll see it across a huge concentration range (100% as a single ingredient facial oil).
On allergies: refined cosmetic-grade oils carry almost no protein. The CIR notes that people allergic to a food generally do not react to the refined oil because the allergenic protein does not partition into it (though cold-pressed grades retain more).
However, it's worth patch testing if you have a stone fruit or tree nut allergy because manufacturer processes for removing the protein can vary.
Malassezia lacks the cytosolic fatty acid synthase gene so the yeast cannot make palmitate on its own and instead uses lipases and phospholipases to release fatty acids from host lipids. Since apricot kernel oil is entirely C16-18 (right in the usable range of C11-24), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Old rabbit-ear testing did assign this ingredient a comedogenic rating of 1-2. The original author has stated that testing on rabbit ears is not an ideal model for human comedogenicity.
Human testing has proved that any finished product with a comedogenic ingredient won't automatically make you break out; it really comes down to concentration, formula, and your skin.
Just know high-oleic oils tend to feel heavier on oily skin so it's worth patch testing.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilRosa Canina Fruit Oil is a non-fragrant plant oil that has earned its skincare reputation through chemistry.
It's dominated by fatty acids like linoleic acid (~35-55%), alpha-linolenic acid (~17-27%), and oleic acid (~14-22%). This is the exact profile that supports skin barrier, locks in hydration, and calms inflammation.
A 2024 review found evidence for the Rosa canina species supports its use for scarring, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and atopic dermatitis; this was mostly credited to its vitamin C content and fatty acid composition as the primary active mechanisms.
You might see this ingredient marketed as a "natural retinol". Some rosehip seed oils contains traces of all-trans-retinoic acid but these trace amounts are far below biologically active levels.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has deemed this ingredient safe and it's well-tolerated.
Fungal acne: The fatty acids of this oil fall into the C11-24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Rosa Canina Fruit 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.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil