What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Trilaureth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Paraffinum Liquidum, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Cyclomethicone, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, BHT, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Squalane, Zea Mays Oil, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Isopropyl Myristate, Water, Phenoxyethanol
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Isobornyl Acetate
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Paraffinum Liquidum, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, C13-15 Alkane, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Water, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycerin, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Isobornyl Acetate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, BHT, Linoleic Acid, Tocopherol
Reviews
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 BHTGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis 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 TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
