What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethyl Linoleate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Beta-Carotene, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyl Avocadate
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract
AntimicrobialMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyl Avocadate, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
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 OilMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne:
Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera 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 OilSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a tetraester from oleic acid and polyethylene glycol ether of sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it helps ingredients such as oil and water mix together. This allows the dirt and oils in your skin to be washed away.
One study found pumpkin oil containing Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate helped hydrate the skin and did not cause any irritation.
Learn more about Sorbeth-30 TetraoleateTocopherol 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
