What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Lanolin
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Aroma
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lanolin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cera Alba, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Jojoba Esters, Aroma, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Tocopherol
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cera Alba
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Lanolin
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Persea Gratissima Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cera Alba, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Lanolin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Persea Gratissima Butter, Tocopherol, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
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.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCera alba is beeswax, or the wax used by bees to make honeycombs. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient. A study from 2003 found beeswax to be a stronger emollient than ingredients such as petroleum jelly.
As an emollient, beeswax helps hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in.
Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating. This helps create consistent texture.
The structure of beeswax is mainly long-chain alcohols and the esters of fatty acids.
There are three types of beeswax: yellow, white, and absolute. Yellow is pure beeswax taken from the honeycomb. White beeswax is created by filtering or bleaching yellow beeswax. Absolute beeswax is created by treating beeswax with alcohol. Beeswax used in cosmetics are purified.
Beeswax has been used throughout history and even in prehistoric times. Some common uses for beeswax still used today are making candles, as a waterproofing agent, and polish for leather.
Beeswax's wax esters are derived primarily from palmitic and oleic acid (C16 and C18:1). Both of these fall within the C11-C24 feeding window.
The Malassezia yeast can potentially cleave these esters and release usable fatty acids, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. However, not everyone will react to this ingredient.
Learn more about Cera AlbaLanolin is a waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing sheep. It is an effective moisturizer that works as both a humectant and emollient.
As a humectant, it is able to absorb up to 400% of its own weight in water; this also gives it emulsifying properties as it can help stabilize water-in-oil emulsions.
On the other hand, lanolin is able to reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL) by about 20-30%. It can also incorporate into the lipid matrix to surround skin cells and reinforce the skin barrier.
This is why you'll see lanolin as an ingredient for heavy-duty moisturizers.
You might have seen an "allergy concern" that gives lanolin a bad reputation. The rate of lanolin contact allergy in the general population is estimated to be under 0.5%, and most of these are seen in people with compromised-skin dealing with eczema, atopic dermatitis, or leg ulcers.
Healthy, intact skin tolerates lanolin well. Even people who have previously reacted to it test negative on patch tests when the test is done on normal skin.
Because lanolin comes from an animal, it is not considered vegan. Sheep secrete lanolin through sebaceous glands to help protect their skin from the environment.
Learn more about LanolinThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilThis 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 OilJojoba 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.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient 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 Tocopherol
