What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyethylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Glycerin, BHT, Water, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate
EmulsifyingSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Eugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Synthetic Wax, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Eugenol, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is a fatty acid ester.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima 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 OilSesamum Indicum Seed Oil is the cold-pressed oil from sesame seeds.
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent made up of roughly 82-85% unsaturated fatty acids, mostly linoleic (~41%) and oleic acid (~39%).
This pairing gives it barrier-supporting and moisturizing properties. Linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid, can be incorporated into complex skin lipids. Topical application has shown barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects in cell and animal studies.
Beyond fatty acids, sesame oil brings something more distinctive to the table:
It contains natural antioxidants sesamol, sesamolin, and gamma-tocopherol. These also give the oil notably high oxidative stability.
One of the oil's key lignans, sesamin, has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical models.
A 2023 clinical study found that a single application of sesame seed oil to the forearms of 35 healthy women improved stratum corneum hydration (though it didn't outperform raspberry seed oil).
The comedogenic rating of 1-3 depends on the type of sesame oil; unrefined carries a rating of 3 while refined sesame oil drops to a 1.
This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne as it contains fatty acids that can feed Malassezia.
Learn more about Sesamum Indicum 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 OilTocopheryl 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
