Giovanni 2chic Ultra Moist Super Potion Anti-Frizz & Binding Serum Oil Versus L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Miracle Hair Perfector
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningChenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Glycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Linum Usitatissimum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Gardenia Taitensis Flower
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Rosa Canina Flower Extract
AstringentBHT
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamal, Linalool, Linum Usitatissimum Flower Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Gardenia Taitensis Flower, Bisabolol, Rosa Canina Flower Extract, BHT, Glycine Soja Oil, Parfum
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 AlcoholCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneHelianthus 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 OilParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about Parfum
