What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Paraffin
Perfuming
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCera Alba
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffin
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Esters, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Squalane, Microcrystalline Wax, Glycerin, Paraffin, BHT, Parfum, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Isopropyl Myristate, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trehalose, Water
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterParaffin is a solid created from petroleum. The term 'paraffin' can also refer to either
petroleum jelly or mineral oil.
It has natural occlusive properties which can worsen oily skin. Due to its petrolatum base, this ingredient is not fungal-acne safe.
Paraffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumTocopheryl 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 Acetate
