What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycine Soja Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientBrassica Napus Seed Oil
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Seed Oil
HumectantCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Oil
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningHarungana Madagascariensis Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingGlycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Brassica Napus Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glycerin, Water, Harungana Madagascariensis Extract, Linalool
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Seed Oil
HumectantCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Oil
MaskingCitrus Junos Seed Oil
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingEthylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Oil, Citrus Junos Seed Oil, Gluconolactone, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Limonene, Citronellol, Linalool, Citral, Geraniol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as Baobab Seed Oil. Like most plant oils, it works by sitting on the skin's surface to slow water loss and keep skin soft.
The fatty acid content of this oil is roughly 25-36% linoleic acid, 20-30% oleic acid, and 25-30% palmitic acid. Plus, it has smaller amounts of stearic and linolenic acid.
Linoleic acid is the most abundant fatty acid naturally found in your epidermis and your skin uses it to build ceramides.
Baobab seed oil also brings some Vitamin E that provides mild antioxidant activity and helps keep the oil itself stable.
An actual human study that ran a 48-hour occlusive patch test found this ingredient caused no significant irritation.
Because this ingredient is full of C16-18 fatty acids that Malassezia feeds on, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Adansonia Digitata Seed OilCamellia Japonica Seed Oil comes from the Japanese Camellia plant. This plant is native to East Asia and known as "Tsubaki" in Japanese.
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil is rich in oleic acid. This makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe the skin by forming a barrier. This barrier traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydated.
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil comes from a green tea plant native to China. It is closely related to Camellia sinensis. Both plants have very similar properties. This plant also has similar properties to olive oil.
This ingredient is rich in oleic acid. This makes it an effective moisturizer. By creating a thin film on the skin, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil traps moisture within. This helps keep your skin smooth and hydrated.
The antioxidant and soothing properties of this ingredient come from Vitamin E and polyphenols.
The seed oil comes from the dried kernels of the plant.
Learn more about Camellia Oleifera Seed OilCamellia Sinensis Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds from the tea plant. This is the same plant we get green, black, and oolong tea from.
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil is rich in oleic acid. This makes it an effective moisturizer. By drawing moisture to the skin, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil helps keep your skin hydrated.
Other components of Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil includes Vitamin E and polyphenols. These are antioxidants that may help slow down the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or unstable molecules that can damage our skin cells.
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil also has anti-inflammatory properties.
The seed oil comes from the dried kernels of the plant.
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Seed OilCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil comes from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is a skin conditioning agent that helps soften skin and keep it hydrated.
This seed oil has an unusual fatty acid profile: it is one of the highest linoleic acid plant oils out there (~55-77%). It also has low amounts of oleic acid, and this high-linoleic/low-oleic ratio gets people excited.
Linoleic acid helps maintain skin barrier integrity and is a building block for the ceramides in your stratum corneum. Notably, people with acne tend to have lower linoleic acid in their skin lipids as well (and this gets worse as acne gets more severe).
Overall, it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil that has a long safety track record. Lab testing has found it to be non-irritating for skin or eyes.
The Malassezia yeast can metabolize the fatty acids in this oil to grow; therefore this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilThis is AKA Hinoki Essential Oil.
Hinoki is a cypress tree native to Japan. It exhibits anti-inflammation properties
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolThis ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ingredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a tetraester from oleic acid and polyethylene glycol ether of sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it helps ingredients such as oil and water mix together. This allows the dirt and oils in your skin to be washed away.
One study found pumpkin oil containing Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate helped hydrate the skin and did not cause any irritation.
Learn more about Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate