What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Decyl Cocoate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCanola Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Squalane, Decyl Cocoate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Water, Glycerin, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Glycine Max Oil, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Canola Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Canola Oil is a plant-oil and low-erucic-acid variety of rapeseed. Like other seed oils, it functions as an emollient that softens skin and slows water loss.
Its fatty acid profile is mostly linoleic acid (55-65%) with some oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. There are also some small amounts of vitamin E and plant sterols.
The sterol content is pretty interesting:
In a controlled human study, a single application of canola oil and especially its sterol-enriched fraction reduced visible irritation, redness, and water loss caused by SLS. Plain canola oil and most other tested oils did little on healthy, un-irritated skin.
It's pretty much just a calm, moisturizing oil that helps with soothing if your skin is already irritated.
Since canola oil is made up of C18 fatty acids, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on chain lengths C11-24.
Fun fact: Canadian growers bred the low-erucic variety in the 1970's, and the name stands for "Canadian oil, Low Acid").
Learn more about Canola OilCaprylic/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 TriglycerideHelianthus 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 OilThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
