Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil Versus Virtue Healing Oil
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningMorinda Citrifolia Leaf Powder
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate
Humectant
Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Coco-Caprylate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propanediol, Zea Mays Oil, Beta-Carotene, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Water, Morinda Citrifolia Leaf Powder, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Tocopherol, Citral, Linalool, Citronellol, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Keratin
Skin ConditioningSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Silicone Quaternium-3
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Coumarin
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Keratin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Hexyl Laurate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Silicone Quaternium-3, Trideceth-12, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Limonene, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Hexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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 LinaloolParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
