What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-40 Sorbitan Peroleate
Emulsifying
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-40 Sorbitan Peroleate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Limonene, Tocopherol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Parfum, Linalool
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-40 Sorbitan Peroleate
Emulsifying
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCitral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-40 Sorbitan Peroleate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
The Malassezia yeast feeds on free fatty acids and this ingredient is made up of an aromatic acid and fatty alcohols.
When this ingredient breaks down, it yields benzoic acid (which is antifungal) and fatty alcohols. Neither of these have been found in studies to be a known food source for Malassezia.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylic/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.
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil is oil from the peel of an orange fruit.
Limonene and linalool make up the majority of oils from citrus peels. Limonene has a "citrus" fragrance. Citrus peels also contain flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Citrus peel is also a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are natural antioxidants and help protect your skin against damage. Flavonoids are a group of compounds naturally found in vegetables and fruits.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel OilDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Lavandula Hybrida Oil is an oil.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPEG-40 Sorbitan Peroleate isn't fungal acne safe.
This is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractTocopherol 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
