Lumin Recovery Oil Versus Leaf Calming Serum
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Geranium Maculatum Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Medica Peel Oil
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Squalane, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Vegetable Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Parfum
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is the oil from the bergamot orange and is primarily used as a fragrance. It has a "fresh" and "bright orange" scent.
The main aroma compounds found in this ingredient are limonene (~27-52%), linalool (~2-22%), and linalyl acetate (~27-40%). These are known EU fragrance allergens.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
When used topically, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is a photosensitizer due to the furanocoumarin content. Furanocoumarins absorb UV-A and cause phytophotodermatitis; this can look like redness, blistering, and lasting brown pigmentation on sun-exposed skin.
Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to sun exposed skin.
Many modern formulas used a "furanocoumarin-free" version that sidesteps the phototoxicity issue, but still contains the fragrance allergens.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit OilHelianthus 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 OilLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia 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.
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 Tocopherol
