What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octyldodecanol
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCera Alba
EmollientCocoglycerides
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Pearl
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningNeohesperidin Dihydrochalcone
MaskingBHT
AntioxidantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantHelianthus Annuus Seed Cera
EmollientOctyldodecanol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cera Alba, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Mica, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Pearl, Hydrolyzed Silk, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Water, Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone, BHT, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 15850, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Behenate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Cera
EmollientDiisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingMenthol
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
EmulsifyingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAroma
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Water, Behenyl Behenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Dimer Dilinoleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Menthol, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Aroma, CI 15850, CI 77491
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited.
Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateThis 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 ButterCi 15850 is the pigment color red. It is an azo dye and created synthetically.
Azo dyes need to be thoroughly purified before use. This allows them to be more stable and longer-lasting.
This ingredient is common in foundations, lipsticks, and blushes. This color is described as brown/orangey red.
It has many secondary names such as Red 6 and Red 7. According to a manufacturer, Red 6 usually contains aluminum.
Learn more about CI 15850Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera isn't fungal acne safe.
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 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