What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract
MoisturisingHoney Extract
Humectant
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cera Alba, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Tocopherol, Squalane, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Soybean Glycerides
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Garcinia Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Myroxylon Pereirae Oil
Masking
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Cocos Nucifera Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vegetable Oil, Cera Alba, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Soybean Glycerides, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Tocopherol, Myroxylon Pereirae Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Citric Acid, Geraniol, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil comes from the ylang-ylang flower, Cananga odorata.
Ylang-ylang oil has slight antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal properties. However, it also contains a number of sensitizing ingredients such as geraniol, limonene, linalool and benzyl benzoate. These compounds are known EU allergens.
The composition of this ingredient depends on the source. Luxury perfumes tend to use higher grade ylang-ylang for their fragrance. Lower grade ylang-ylang is less fragrant.
Learn more about Cananga Odorata Flower OilCera alba is beeswax, or the wax used by bees to make honeycombs. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient. A study from 2003 found beeswax to be a stronger emollient than ingredients such as petroleum jelly.
As an emollient, beeswax helps hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in.
Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating. This helps create consistent texture.
The structure of beeswax is mainly long-chain alcohols and the esters of fatty acids.
There are three types of beeswax: yellow, white, and absolute. Yellow is pure beeswax taken from the honeycomb. White beeswax is created by filtering or bleaching yellow beeswax. Absolute beeswax is created by treating beeswax with alcohol. Beeswax used in cosmetics are purified.
Beeswax has been used throughout history and even in prehistoric times. Some common uses for beeswax still used today are making candles, as a waterproofing agent, and polish for leather.
Learn more about Cera AlbaThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera 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 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 olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterTocopherol 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
