What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hypericum Perforatum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Santalum Spicata Wood Oil
Perfuming
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Hypericum Perforatum Flower Extract, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Santalum Spicata Wood Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Oenothera Biennis Oil (aka Evening Primrose Oil) is a non-fragrant oil from the evening primrose. Like other botanical oils, it is an emollient that helps hydrate and nourish skin.
It has an interesting fatty acid profile: linoleic (70-74%) and γ-linolenic (8-10%), with some amounts ofoleic palmitic, and stearic acids.
The gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) is the headliner here; it's relatively rare in plant oils and acts as a precursor for anti-inflammatory signaling molecules in the skin.
There's a mixed body of clinical research with this ingredient as well, mostly on eczema/atopic dermatitis skin.
Some controlled trials showed improvement in inflammation, dryness, scaling, and overall severity. Other studies and large meta-analysis failed to show a significant effect; the honest takeaway here is "promising but inconsistent" rather than "miracle oil".
On the safety front, this ingredient is found to be safe as used in cosmetics and even has a history of safe food use.
Since this oil is contains oleic acid and palmitic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Oleic Acid sits at C18 and Palmitic acid sits at C16.
In vitro studies have shown that oleic acid and palmitic acid are some of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
Learn more about Oenothera Biennis OilPelargonium Graveolens Oil is the pressed oil of the Rose Geranium plant. It has perfuming and masking properties.
This ingredient contains citronellol and geraniol. These compounds may cause allergies and skin-sensitivity.
The scent of Rose Geranium closely resembles. you guessed it: roses.
Learn more about Pelargonium Graveolens 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 Oil
