What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientAmber Powder
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Vigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Myristate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Water, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Amber Powder, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Squalane, Isononyl Isononanoate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Tocopherol, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polysorbate 20, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/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 TriglycerideCetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Isopropyl Myristate is an ester made by combining isopropyl alcohol with myristic acid.
It is primarily an emollient and penetration enhancer that gives products a lightweight, silky feel without the heaviness of oils.
This ingredient is generally considered non-toxic, non-irritating, and has low absorption potential.
You might have heard that this ingredient clogs pores. This reputation comes from the older rabbit ear studies which are more sensitive than human skin to clogging.
Dermatologist Dr. Zoe Draelos has also confirmed in a peer-reviewed paper that products containing comedogenic ingredients are not necessarily comedogenic themselves.
A small subset of people (~2%) may experience contact sensitivity so patch testing is a reasonable idea if you have reactive skin.
Since this ingredient is an ester of myristic acid (a C14 fatty acid), it falls within the carbon chain range that is known to feed Malassezia. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl MyristateMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne:
Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed OilPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate is a synthetic, oil-loving helper ingredient that does two jobs:
This ingredient is made by joining three building blocks: PEG, Isostearic Acid and glycerin. The PEG gives it the oil-and-water blending power.
This ingredient has been found safe for use in cosmetics and broader PEG family testing shows minimal irritation/sensitization. The molecule's large size also means it isn't expected to penetrate skin to any meaningful degree.
Fungal acne note: This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to isostearic acid (C18). Isostearic acid falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about PEG-20 Glyceryl TriisostearateJojoba 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
