What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Polybutene
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningPolybutene, Octyldodecanol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Diisostearyl Malate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trihydroxystearin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucomannan
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Polybutene is used to help control the viscosity of a product. This just means it helps adjusts the texture.
It is a polymer and does not get absorbed into the skin due to its large size.
Studies found this ingredient did not irritate skin in concentrations below 15%.
Learn more about PolybuteneJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateTrihydroxystearin is what you get when you fully hydrogenate castor oil into a waxy, fine powder.
It's mostly a behind-the-scenes texture enhancer that's especially good at "thixotropic" thing where the product stays thick but applies nicely.
Because of its structure, it also acts as a mild skin conditioning emollient that helps soften skin while preventing moisture loss.
Safety studies show it to be safe and non-irritation in clinical tests. It's typically used in concentrations up to 5%.
Since its an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can potentially feed on. This makes it not fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Trihydroxystearin
