What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Macadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters Behenate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMonascus Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment
Skin ProtectingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Octyldodecanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Diisostearyl Malate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Macadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters Behenate, Synthetic Wax, Polyethylene, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycine Soja Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Monascus Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Dehydroacetic Acid
Polyisobutene
Petrolatum
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Vinegar
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingSargassum Fusiforme Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyisobutene, Petrolatum, Diisostearyl Malate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Vinegar, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Trehalose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Microcrystalline Wax, Sargassum Fusiforme Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterDiisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
Microcrystalline Wax is derived from petroleum through a de-oiling process, then highly refined and purified before use in cosmetics.
In skincare formulations, it is used to improve texture and create a smooth, even consistency. It also helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating.
This 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 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 OilWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
