What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera
EmollientGlyceryl Abietate
EmollientCera Alba
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Tricaprylin
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Cetyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Aroma
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Castanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantOleyl Alcohol, Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Glyceryl Abietate, Cera Alba, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Jojoba Esters, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetyl Esters, Tricaprylin, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Cetyl Esters, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Aroma, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phytosterols, Tocopherol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Eugenol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, CI 77491, CI 77499, CI 77492
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aroma refers to an ingredient, or mixture of ingredients, that impart or mask a flavor.
The name is slightly confusing. This is because INCI associates aroma with flavor instead of smell.
Here is the official definition from the The International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook:
“Aroma is a term for ingredient labeling used to identify that a product contains a material or combination of materials normally added to a cosmetic to produce or to mask a particular flavor.”
INCI shows the only purpose of aroma to be "flavouring".
However, due to regulation differences, some companies may use aroma in place of parfum.
In Canada, this ingredient only has to be listed in concentrations above 1%.
Learn more about AromaThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterWe don't have a description for Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera yet.
Helianthus 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 OilRicinus Communis Seed Oil is the INCI name for castor oil.
Castor Oil helps moisturize the skin. It is rich in a fatty acid called ricinoleic acid. This fatty acid helps prevent moisture loss on the skin. This helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. Ricinoleic acid also has anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties.
Besides hydrating the skin, castor oil is also used to hydrate hair. By keeping the hair shaft moisturized, breakage is decreased. More studies are needed to show castor oil's effective on stimulating hair growth.
Castor oil is created by cold-pressing castor seeds and then purifying the oil with heat. It was used in Ancient Egypt as fuel in lamps and to help treat eye irritation.
The term '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.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about Tocopherol
