What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Amodimethicone
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Prunin
Antioxidant
Sweet Almond Amino Acids
HumectantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Cyclopentasiloxane, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Phenyl Trimethicone, Amodimethicone, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Prunin, Sweet Almond Amino Acids, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia/Tetraphylla Seed Oil
Emollient
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olus Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Myristate, Dimethicone, Alcohol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia/Tetraphylla Seed Oil, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olus Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
