What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Lanolin Oil
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vanillin
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Octyldodecanol, Lanolin Oil, Silica, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cera Alba, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Cera Microcristallina, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Vanillin, Limonene, Linalool, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 15850, CI 73360
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentVitis Vinifera Skin Extract
Antioxidant
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Cerasus Extract
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Charcoal
Abrasive
Iron Oxides
CI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Rubus Idaeus Bud Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Prunus Cerasus Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Charcoal, Iron Oxides, CI 77742
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This 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.
This ingredient shows up on a lot of "pore-clogging" lists but there's no real evidence behind that. It doesn't even have a comedogenic rating from an actual study; the numbers you'll find online come from blogs citing other blogs.
Ratings for other ingredients mostly come from a 1980s rabbit ear test. This test doesn't translate well to human skin or to real products because the ingredient sits at a much lower percentage.
Some people still find it breaks them out. So if that's you, definitely trust your skin. Just know this one's based on experience and not evidence.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideOctyldodecanol 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.
This ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilThis ingredient is also known as Cocoa butter; it's the fat pressed out of roasted cocoa beans.
Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature and melts right around body temperature, which is why it feels waxy in the jar and slippery on skin.
It has a very saturated profile (stearic acid ~34 to 36%, oleic acid ~30 to 40%, and palmitic acid ~24 to 29%) that makes it a strong occlusive: it sits on top and slows water escaping from skin.
Concentration data shows that it can show up anywhere from a few percent in lotions up to 100% in balms, and the FDA lists cocoa butter as an OTC skin protectant active at 50-100%.
The CIR has reviewed it and concluded it to be safe as used in cosmetics.
This is one of the ingredients with a comedogenic score of 4/5 from the rabbit ear test. Just know that a later human study did find that finished products containing high-comedogenic ingredients like cocoa butter did not increase microcomedone formation.
The fair call here is that this ingredient is most likely fine on body or low-percentage formulas, but can potentially be riskier as a heavy leave-on facial product if you break out easily.
Cocoa butter may not be fungal acne safe; it is a triglyceride of C16-18 fatty acids that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Allergies to cocoa butter are rare and uncommon, but a few cases have been documented (mostly in cases where the person ate chocolate). So if you have a tree nut allergy, be sure to patch test or avoid.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterTocopherol 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
