What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Urtica Dioica Extract
AstringentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein
Skin Conditioning
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Paradisi Seed Oil
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGeraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Myrcene
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Bakuchiol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Beta-Sitosterol, Citrus Paradisi Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Myrcene
Alternatives
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 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 OilWe don't have a description for Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate yet.
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables are the "leftover" part of olive oil after the fatty acids get turned into soap.
Most of what's left behind is a concentrated blend of squalene, phytosterols, and vitamin E.
Squalene is pretty cool because it's already naturally found in our skin and makes up about 13% of sebum. This makes it a great moisturizing and skin-barrier-supporting ingredient.
This ingredient is typically used at low concentrations (~1-3%) and occasionally up to 25% when acting as the main ingredient in a formula.
Fungal acne note: Though this ingredient is largely free of fatty acid esters that feed Malassezia, it may still have some residual fatty acids depending on the purity. This is why this ingredient is marked as not fungal acne safe.
People with existing olive oil allergies should be cautious as well.
Learn more about Hydrogenated Olive Oil UnsaponifiablesLinalool is a small, naturally occurring scent molecule found in plants like lavender, coriander, bergamot, and more.
It is one of the two most-used fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and added purely for smell. Since it's not used for a skin benefit, there's no "effective dose". Concentration depends on the fragrance load of the product.
The EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Fresh linalool is a weak sensitizer but air exposure turns some of it into hydroperoxides, which are strong sensitizers. Those oxidation products are the actual allergy concern.
Patch-test clinics see positive reactions to linalool hydroperoxides in about 4% to 12% of dermatitis patients depending on country and test concentration.
Resassuringly, one analytical study found hydroperoxide levels in real fragranced products to be orders of magnitude below what induced sensitization in animal studies with no evidence of oxidation building up during normal storage.
The practical takeaway is that linalool is fine for most people but worth avoiding if you have a confirmed fragrance contact allergy or a badly compromised barrier.
Products stored a long time after opening are also the high-risk scenario since that is when oxidation happens.
The scent of linalool is described as floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about Linalool
