What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Lanolin
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Menthol
Masking
Camphor
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Aroma
Lanolin, Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Paraffin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Salicylic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Menthol, Camphor, Water, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, BHT, Aroma
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 OilParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinParaffinum 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 Liquidum
