What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Corylus Avellana Seed Oil
Emollient
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil, Corylus Avellana Seed Oil, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Isoamyl Laurate, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Decyl Glucoside, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Tocopherol
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSalix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Soymilk
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Ethoxydiglycol, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Fructooligosaccharides, Citric Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Tocopherol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Dipropylene Glycol, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Soymilk, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractHelianthus 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 OilThis ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit 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 TocopherolVitis Vinifera Seed Oil comes from the grape vine. Grape seeds are a byproduct of creating grape juice or wine.
The components of grape seeds have many skin benefits. Research has found it to be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It also contains many potent antioxidants such as Vitamin E , Vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Proanthocyanidin has been shown to help even out skin tone.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons. Grape seed extract may help reduce the signs of aging.
The antimicrobial properties of grape seed may help treat acne. However, more research is needed to support this claim.
Grape seed has also been found to help absorb UV rays. Grape seed extract should not replace your sunscreen.
The fatty acids of grape seed oil give it emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin by creating a film. This film traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydrated.
Learn more about Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
