What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
EmollientPolyisobutene
Octyldodecanol
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientSilica Silylate
EmollientHydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAroma
Alumina
AbrasiveAluminum Benzoate
AntimicrobialAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantSorbic Acid
PreservativeCI 77120
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantParaffinum Liquidum, Polyisobutene, Octyldodecanol, Diisostearyl Malate, Petrolatum, Silica Silylate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Cera Microcristallina, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Aroma, Alumina, Aluminum Benzoate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vegetable Oil, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, BHT, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sorbic Acid, CI 77120, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, CI 42090, CI 45410, CI 15850
Polyisobutene
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientRubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientAroma
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingSorbic Acid
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPolyisobutene, 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
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 AromaCaprylic/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 TriglycerideDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate (DESM) is a photostabilizer, antioxidant, and SPF booster.
One of DESM's main roles is stabilizing UV filters, especially avobenzone. Avobenzone is notoriously unstable when exposed to sunlight. By enhancing the stability of these filters, DESM helps maintain the sunscreen's effectivess through wear. It also helps improve protection against long-wave UVA rays by increasing the wavelength of the formula.
Besides enhancing UVA protection, DESM can boost the SPF of high-SPF formulations by up to 5 units.
DESM also preserves the color integrity of cosmetic products and helps reduce the chance of yellowing of fading due to light exposure.
This ingredient is typically found in concentrations between 0.3% - 0.5%. There are currently no maximum usage limits by regulatory bodies.
Though this ingredient is a chemical UV filter, it can often be found in "100% mineral" sunscreens. This is due to regulatory loopholes.
Learn more about Diethylhexyl SyringylidenemalonateDiisostearyl 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 EthylhexylglycerinParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.
It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.
Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.
Learn more about PolyisobuteneRosa Canina Fruit Oil is a non-fragrant plant oil that has earned its skincare reputation through chemistry.
It's dominated by fatty acids like linoleic acid (~35-55%), alpha-linolenic acid (~17-27%), and oleic acid (~14-22%). This is the exact profile that supports skin barrier, locks in hydration, and calms inflammation.
A 2024 review found evidence for the Rosa canina species supports its use for scarring, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and atopic dermatitis; this was mostly credited to its vitamin C content and fatty acid composition as the primary active mechanisms.
You might see this ingredient marketed as a "natural retinol". Some rosehip seed oils contains traces of all-trans-retinoic acid but these trace amounts are far below biologically active levels.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has deemed this ingredient safe and it's well-tolerated.
Fungal acne: The fatty acids of this oil fall into the C11-24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Rosa Canina Fruit OilSorbic Acid is a preservative that stops your product from spoiling by stopping microbes from growing.
As a preservative, it's kind of a specialist: it has a broad spectrum of activity against yeast and molds but is weaker against bacteria. That's why it's often paired with another preservative to cover that gap.
This ingredient is also pretty picky about pH; it performs best at pH 6.5 or below.
At the right pH level, sorbic acid is "active" and can slip through the outer wall of a microbe. Once inside, it turns the cell's interior more acidic to shut down the microbe from the inside.
The EU caps this ingredient at 0.6% while the CIR has concluded it's safe at concentrations up to 1%. It's most often used around 0.05-0.2% in cosmetics.
Though this ingredient is considered low-sensitizing and well-tolerated, a very small number of people may have a contact allergy to it. Be sure to patch test if you have a history of allergies towards preservatives.
Learn more about Sorbic AcidTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate