What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Petrolatum
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingParfum
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Propylene Carbonate
SolventIsocetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cera Microcristallina, Octyldodecanol, Paraffin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Silica, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Parfum, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Propylene Carbonate, Isocetyl Alcohol, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, BHT, Cetyl Alcohol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Isopropyl Laurate
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Sulfate
Citric Acid
Buffering
BHA
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Paraffin, Cera Alba, Cetyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetyl Alcohol, Candelilla Cera, Cera Microcristallina, Bisabolol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Laurate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Sulfate, Citric Acid, BHA, BHT, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTBisabolol 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 BisabololCera Microcristallina, aka microcrystalline wax, is a petroleum-derived wax that helps thicken texture and stabilize the oils in formulas.
It also has mild occlusive properties that creates a film on skin to slow down water loss.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
This ingredient is refined to a cosmetic grade with high purity. It is chemically inert, stable, and doesn't clog pores (petroleum has a comedogenic rating of 0).
Malassezia feeds on fatty acids roughly in the C11-24 range and this ingredient contains none of those. Since there's no plausible food source for it here, this ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cera MicrocristallinaCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about Parfum
