What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC13-15 Alkane
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeHydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentPolyquaternium-7
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, C13-15 Alkane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Squalane, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Bisabolol, Zea Mays Starch, Polyquaternium-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C13-15 Alkane is a group of alkanes with 13 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
It is a solvent and texture enhancer. Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about Squalane