What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Solanum Tuberosum Starch
AbsorbentCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Zinc Ricinoleate
Magnesium Hydroxide
AbsorbentLauryl Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentGlyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Caproyl/Lauroyl Lactylate
AntimicrobialCocos Nucifera Oil, Solanum Tuberosum Starch, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Triethyl Citrate, Zinc Ricinoleate, Magnesium Hydroxide, Lauryl Laurate, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Laurate, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Caproyl/Lauroyl Lactylate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Helianthus 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 OilTocopherol 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
