What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
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
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Petrolatum
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingEuphorbia Cerifera Wax
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingVanillin
Masking
Aroma
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Petrolatum, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ozokerite, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Ceresin, Vanillin, Aroma, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Caffeine, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Linalool, CI 19140, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aroma refers to an ingredient, or mixture of ingredients, that impart or mask a flavor.
The name is slightly confusing. This is because INCI associates aroma with flavor instead of smell.
Here is the official definition from the The International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook:
“Aroma is a term for ingredient labeling used to identify that a product contains a material or combination of materials normally added to a cosmetic to produce or to mask a particular flavor.”
INCI shows the only purpose of aroma to be "flavouring".
However, due to regulation differences, some companies may use aroma in place of parfum.
In Canada, this ingredient only has to be listed in concentrations above 1%.
Learn more about AromaBenzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCaprylic/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 TriglycerideTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
