What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Lippia Citriodora Flower Extract
Perfuming
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentMentha Viridis Leaf Extract
Masking
Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phytantriol
HumectantPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lippia Citriodora Flower Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Mentha Viridis Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Phytantriol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
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 OilGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePersea Gratissima Oil is also known as avocado oil.
Avocado Oil has antioxidant properties. It is mostly made up of the glycerides of fatty acids. About 67% of these fatty acids is made up of oleic acid. Palmitic acid and linoleic acid are also present.
These fatty acids help hydrate and soften the skin. It may increase collagen content in the skin. Collagen helps keep your skin plump and firm. This ingredient helps reduce inflammation and has not shown to clog pores.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe due to its high fatty acid content.
Avocados also have B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds of the Marula plant. In South Africa, Marula is called "an elephant's favorite treat".
Marula seed oil is a non-fragrant oil. It is rich in fatty acids, such as oleic, linoleic, palmitic, stearic, and more. These fatty acids help hydrate the skin.
Other components of marula seed oil include vitamin E and antioxidants such as flavonoids.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Sclerocarya Birrea Seed OilJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
