What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingBetaine
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScrophularia Nodosa Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllostachys Bambusoides Juice
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
Antimicrobial
Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Equisetum Giganteum Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Gluconolactone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Betaine, Zinc PCA, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Scrophularia Nodosa Extract, Phyllostachys Bambusoides Juice, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Equisetum Giganteum Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, Citronellol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingTrehalose
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Trehalose, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf 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 TriglycerideGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilHelianthus 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 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
