What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Gallic Acid
Antioxidant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Cinnamate
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Octyldodecanol, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Parfum, Limonene, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, Gallic Acid, Canola Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Benzyl Cinnamate, Farnesol, Linalool, Citral, Citronellol
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Emollient
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate, Octyldodecanol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Mica, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, CI 77491, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateHelianthus 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 OilMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds of Moringa oleifera plant. It is more commonly known as Moringa seed oil.
Moringa seeds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin hydrating properties. These seeds are rich in oils, proteins, monounsaturated fats, and tocopherols.
As an emollient, moringa seed oil helps trap moisture in the skin by creating a film on top. This helps keep your skin hydrated and soft.
Many compounds in moringa seed oil are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. These compounds include Vitamin E. , catechins, ferulic acid, and more.
Another compound found in Moringa seed oil is oleic acid.
Moringa trees are native to the Himalayan mountains.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed OilOctyldodecanol 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.
Sesame oil comes from sesame seeds. Sesame oil is rich in fatty acids and Vitamin E.
It has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The phenolic compounds of this ingredient (including vitamin E) give it these properties.
Unrefined sesame oil has a comedogenic rating of 3, while refined sesame oil has a rating of 1. This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
The fatty acids in sesame oil include linoleic acid (41%), oleic acid (39%), palmitic acid (8%), stearic acid (5%), and some small traces of others.
Learn more about Sesamum Indicum Seed 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
