What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Polyisobutene
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Aroma
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Squalane, Aroma, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polybutene
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingSqualane
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Water, Diisostearyl Malate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Polysorbate 60, Polybutene, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ceteareth-20, Squalane, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, CI 77492, CI 42090, CI 15985, CI 17200, CI 45410
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Diisostearyl 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.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about Squalane
