What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Citrus Paradisi Seed Oil
Perfuming
Honey Extract
Humectant
Mangifera Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Microcrystalline Wax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate, Paraffin, Beeswax, Diisostearyl Malate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Seed Oil, Honey Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Oil, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCera Alba
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Paraffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol 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
