What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCetyl Palmitate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
EmollientC20-40 Alkyl Stearate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantCera Alba
EmollientCera Microcristallina, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Panthenol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Myristyl Myristate, C20-40 Alkyl Stearate, Glycerin, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Bisabolol, Cera Alba
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingCocoglycerides
EmollientOctocrylene
UV AbsorberDibutyl Adipate
EmollientParaffin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberOctyldodecanol
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterLanolin
EmollientGlycol Montanate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientShorea Robusta Resin
TonicShorea Stenoptera Seed Butter
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantBisabolol
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantTropolone
Skin ConditioningTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Tocopherol
AntioxidantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Cera Microcristallina, Cocoglycerides, Octocrylene, Dibutyl Adipate, Paraffin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Octyldodecanol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Lanolin, Glycol Montanate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Shorea Robusta Resin, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 77891, Bisabolol, BHT, Tropolone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopherol, CI 15850
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneCera Microcristallina, aka microcrystalline wax, is a petroleum-derived wax that helps thicken texture and stabilize the oils in formulas.
It also has mild occlusive properties that creates a film on skin to slow down water loss.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
This ingredient is refined to a cosmetic grade with high purity. It is chemically inert, stable, and doesn't clog pores (petroleum has a comedogenic rating of 0).
Malassezia feeds on fatty acids roughly in the C11-24 range and this ingredient contains none of those. Since there's no plausible food source for it here, this ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cera MicrocristallinaThis ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
This ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate