What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Macadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters Behenate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMonascus Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment
Skin ProtectingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Octyldodecanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Diisostearyl Malate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Macadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters Behenate, Synthetic Wax, Polyethylene, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycine Soja Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Monascus Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Dehydroacetic Acid
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterMicrocrystalline Wax is derived from petroleum through a de-oiling process, then highly refined and purified before use in cosmetics.
In skincare formulations, it is used to improve texture and create a smooth, even consistency. It also helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating.
This 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 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
