What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Rosinate
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCanola Oil
Emollient
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil Phytosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Retinyl Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Squalene
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Aroma
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientEthylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Rosinate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Canola Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil Phytosterol Esters, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Water, Isohexadecane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Retinyl Retinoate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tripeptide-1, Cera Alba, Squalene, Palmitic Acid, Aroma, C12-16 Alcohols, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Tocopherol, Limonene, Beta-Sitosterol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Myristic/Palmitic/Stearic/Ricinoleic/Eicosanedioic Glycerides
Skin ConditioningCocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Isoleucine
Skin ProtectingJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Alaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Cocos Nucifera Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Myristic/Palmitic/Stearic/Ricinoleic/Eicosanedioic Glycerides, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Palmitoyl Isoleucine, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Water, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Allantoin, Squalene, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Palmitic Acid, Dextrin Palmitate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is lipid-based synthetic skin-conditioning agent derived from adipic acid and a mixture of fatty acids. It is often called a lanolin substitute.
As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate the skin. Emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Due to its fatty acid base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidSqualane is one of the main components of skin surface lipids. It is naturally found in our skin and makes up about 13% of sebum.
Topically, it is an emollient and skin conditioning agent.
Research highlights its role in antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects, skin barrier protection, and wound healing support.
In vivo research has shown that transepidermal water loss (TEWL) caused by irritant exposure can be reverse with squalene supplementation (pointing to barrier recovery support).
Its antioxidant activity is backed by ex vivo and cell-based evidence showing it can scavenge free radicals but large-scale human clinical trials isolating this effect remain limited.
One study found squalene regulated proinflammatory behavior in ways relevant to wound healing, and in vitro fibroblast studies also shows it stimulates cell migration which is a key step in skin repair.
There's just one nuance to know about this ingredient:
Squalene is particularly vulnerable to oxidation; it breaks down from UV exposure 10x faster than the other lipids on your skin's surface. The byproducts of that breakdown can clog pores and trigger inflammation, potentially worsening acne.
This is why squalene is often hydrogenated into its stable counterpart: squalane (with an "a"). Most great formulations will have alreadu kept this in mind.
Squalene has shown no significant clinical evidence of sensitization and is a great hydrating ingredient.
Learn more about SqualeneTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
