What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Squalane
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPolyethylene
Abrasive
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Saccharin
MaskingLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Squalane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Microcrystalline Wax, Polyethylene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Paraffin, Synthetic Wax, Mentha Piperita Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Saccharin, Limonene, Linalool, Citric Acid
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingParaffin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Triacontanyl Pvp
HumectantDipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer
Abrasive
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Polyquaternium-61
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Paraffinum Liquidum, Cera Microcristallina, Paraffin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dimethicone, Triacontanyl Pvp, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate, Glycerin, Squalane, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Synthetic Wax, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Polyethylene, Polyquaternium-61, BHT
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Paraffin 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 ParaffinPolyethylene 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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itâs technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term âoil-freeâ isnât regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneSynthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Learn more about Synthetic Wax
