What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 26100
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Water, Benzyl Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 26100
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol
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 TriglycerideCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil comes from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is a skin conditioning agent that helps soften skin and keep it hydrated.
This seed oil has an unusual fatty acid profile: it is one of the highest linoleic acid plant oils out there (~55-77%). It also has low amounts of oleic acid, and this high-linoleic/low-oleic ratio gets people excited.
Linoleic acid helps maintain skin barrier integrity and is a building block for the ceramides in your stratum corneum. Notably, people with acne tend to have lower linoleic acid in their skin lipids as well (and this gets worse as acne gets more severe).
Overall, it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil that has a long safety track record. Lab testing has found it to be non-irritating for skin or eyes.
The Malassezia yeast can metabolize the fatty acids in this oil to grow; therefore this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia 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.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateVitis 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
