What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Caprylate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Squalane, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Bakuchiol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Ditrimethylolpropane Tetra Palm Kernelate
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ditrimethylolpropane Tetra Palm Kernelate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Tocopherol, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
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 TriglycerideGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilThis 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 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.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTocopherol 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 TocopherolVitis Vinifera Seed Oil comes from the grape vine. Grape seeds are a byproduct of creating grape juice or wine.
The components of grape seeds have many skin benefits. Research has found it to be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It also contains many potent antioxidants such as Vitamin E , Vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Proanthocyanidin has been shown to help even out skin tone.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons. Grape seed extract may help reduce the signs of aging.
The antimicrobial properties of grape seed may help treat acne. However, more research is needed to support this claim.
Grape seed has also been found to help absorb UV rays. Grape seed extract should not replace your sunscreen.
The fatty acids of grape seed oil give it emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin by creating a film. This film traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydrated.
Learn more about Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
