What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientParfum
MaskingSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeButyrospermum Parkii Oil
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Isododecane, Parfum, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Citric Acid, Benzyl Benzoate
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSqualane
EmollientHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
AntimicrobialLinoleic Acid
CleansingPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientGamma-Decalactone
PerfumingBenzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberGamma-Nonalactone
MaskingDelta-Decalactone
MaskingDelta-Dodecalactone
PerfumingGamma-Dodecalactone
PerfumingGamma-Undecalactone
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Gamma-Decalactone, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Gamma-Nonalactone, Delta-Decalactone, Delta-Dodecalactone, Gamma-Dodecalactone, Gamma-Undecalactone, Limonene
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 ingredientās 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 TriglycerideCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil comes from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is a skin conditioning agent that helps soften skin and keep it hydrated.
This seed oil has an unusual fatty acid profile: it is one of the highest linoleic acid plant oils out there (~55-77%). It also has low amounts of oleic acid, and this high-linoleic/low-oleic ratio gets people excited.
Linoleic acid helps maintain skin barrier integrity and is a building block for the ceramides in your stratum corneum. Notably, people with acne tend to have lower linoleic acid in their skin lipids as well (and this gets worse as acne gets more severe).
Overall, it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil that has a long safety track record. Lab testing has found it to be non-irritating for skin or eyes.
The Malassezia yeast can metabolize the fatty acids in this oil to grow; therefore this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about Squalane