What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopherol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Santalum Album Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Linalool
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil, Linalool, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Geraniol, Limonene, Citral, Farnesol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideHelianthus 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 OilLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilLinalool 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 LinaloolThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilSantalum Album Oil is created from the Santalum album, or the East Indian sandalwood tree. This oil has fragrance and masking properties due to its unique scent.
Sandalwood may sensitize the skin for those sensitive to fragrances.
It has been used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.
Learn more about Santalum Album OilTocopherol 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
