What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycine Soja Oil
EmollientCorylus Avellana Seed Oil
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
EmulsifyingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSqualane
EmollientIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientSaponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientRice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycine 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
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningCanarium Luzonicum Gum Nonvolatiles
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingLactic Acid
BufferingGlycolic Acid
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
MaskingCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycine
BufferingCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientLysine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningMethionine
Skin ConditioningFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantValine
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingRhus Semialata Gall Extract
Skin ConditioningOxygen
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCysteine
AntioxidantAspartic Acid
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHistidine
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Water, Canarium Luzonicum Gum Nonvolatiles, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycine, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Lysine, Leucine, Methionine, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Valine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Rhus Semialata Gall Extract, Oxygen, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cysteine, Aspartic Acid, Isoleucine, Alanine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Histidine
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 Japonica Seed Oil comes from the Japanese Camellia plant. This plant is native to East Asia and known as "Tsubaki" in Japanese.
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil is rich in oleic acid. This makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe the skin by forming a barrier. This barrier traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydated.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideHelianthus 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.
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 Oil