What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventTrihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyethylene, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C13-15 Alkane, Trihydroxystearin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Gluconolactone
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-20 Glyceryl Tristearate
EmollientPolyethylene
Abrasive
PEG-8 Isostearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningCananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Michelia Alba Flower Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialJasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Tristearate, Polyethylene, PEG-8 Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Water, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Butylene Glycol, Michelia Alba Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Tocopherol, Linalool, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is the oil from the bergamot orange and is primarily used as a fragrance. It has a "fresh" and "bright orange" scent.
The main aroma compounds found in this ingredient are limonene (~27-52%), linalool (~2-22%), and linalyl acetate (~27-40%). These are known EU fragrance allergens.
The term '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.
When used topically, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is a photosensitizer due to the furanocoumarin content. Furanocoumarins absorb UV-A and cause phytophotodermatitis; this can look like redness, blistering, and lasting brown pigmentation on sun-exposed skin.
Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to sun exposed skin.
Many modern formulas used a "furanocoumarin-free" version that sidesteps the phototoxicity issue, but still contains the fragrance allergens.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit OilEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilThis 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 OilPolyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
Tocopherol 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
