What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Water, CI 77499, Synthetic Beeswax, Paraffin, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Isododecane
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Petrolatum
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Isostearate
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Hydrogenated Rosinate
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Camellia Seed Oil
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Talc
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Isododecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Methyl Trimethicone, Synthetic Wax, Dextrin Palmitate, Microcrystalline Wax, Beeswax, Paraffin, Isostearic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Petrolatum, Octyldodecyl Isostearate, Pentaerythrityl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Polyethylene, Tocopherol, Camellia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Panthenol, Alcohol, Water, Royal Jelly Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Talc, Mica, Iron Oxides
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Copernicia Cerifera Wax comes from a palm tree native to Brazil; another name for this ingredient is Carnauba Wax.
This ingredient is used to thicken texture and also leaves behind a film when applied.
Fun fact: This wax has the highest melting point of all natural waxes and low solubility.
Learn more about Copernicia Cerifera WaxParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Jojoba 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 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
