What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Oil
Perfuming
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Mentha Spicata Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingGeranium Maculatum Extract
TonicCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientWater, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Glycosphingolipids, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Mentha Spicata Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Allantoin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Oryza Sativa Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCyathea Medullaris Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhormium Tenax Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
CI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantCitronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sclerotium Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Mannitol, Maltodextrin, Sodium Citrate, Cyathea Medullaris Leaf Extract, Phormium Tenax Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, CI 77742, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil is from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. It is a skin conditioning agent and emollient that sits on top of skin to soften and hydrate it.
Over 98% of the oil is made up of long-chain fatty acids, mostly aachidic acid (61%), docosenoic acid (~16%), and docosadienoic acid (~18%).
This combination is not really found in any other plant oil and is the reason this is one of the most stable botanical oils available.
Some studies show it to be more stable than jojoba oil, helps a product resist going rancid, and can help extend the shelf life of a formula.
It also naturally contains vitamin E and phytosterols that give it a mild antioxidant benefit.
This ingredient is typically used from around 1% to fairly high levels since it's gentle; it's well-tolerated and low on the irritation scale.
Learn more about Limnanthes Alba Seed OilJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
