EOS Super Balm

It mostly stays on the surface of skin where it helps hydrate due to its large molecular size and low water solubility.

Due to it being derived from fatty acids, this ingredient may not be Malassezia or fungal acne safe.

In comedogenic testing, Beeswax scored a 0-2, which is on the low end. Whether or not a product clogs your pores really comes down to the formula as a whole (not any single ingredient on its own) and your skin.

Cera Alba is the white, bleached form of this ingredient.

Just so you know, beeswax is not vegan since it is animal-derived. It cannot be removed with water, but can be taken off with an oil cleanser.

People with a known Propolis allergy also report to have reactions from beeswax.

Beeswax's wax esters are derived primarily from palmitic and oleic acid (C16 and C18:1). Both of these fall within the C11-C24 feeding window.

The Malassezia yeast can potentially cleave these esters and release usable fatty acids, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. However, not everyone will react to this ingredient.

In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:

Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.

Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.

Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.

The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.

Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.

Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.

It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.

Here is the official definition from the The International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook:

“Aroma is a term for ingredient labeling used to identify that a product contains a material or combination of materials normally added to a cosmetic to produce or to mask a particular flavor.”

INCI shows the only purpose of aroma to be "flavouring".

However, due to regulation differences, some companies may use aroma in place of parfum.

In Canada, this ingredient only has to be listed in concentrations above 1%.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because research has shown that the Malassezia species can grow in the presence of fatty acid esters with chain lengths above C12 (and this one is C18).

While it does have a comedogenic rating of 4, the comedogenic rating scale was developed from rabbit ear models which has limited clinical relevance to human skin. Studies also show that comedogenic ingredients cannot predict how the overall formula will behave on human skin.

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.

This ingredient shows up on a lot of "pore-clogging" lists but there's no real evidence behind that. It doesn't even have a comedogenic rating from an actual study; the numbers you'll find online come from blogs citing other blogs.

Ratings for other ingredients mostly come from a 1980s rabbit ear test. This test doesn't translate well to human skin or to real products because the ingredient sits at a much lower percentage.

Some people still find it breaks them out. So if that's you, definitely trust your skin. Just know this one's based on experience and not evidence.

It has a very saturated profile (stearic acid ~34 to 36%, oleic acid ~30 to 40%, and palmitic acid ~24 to 29%) that makes it a strong occlusive: it sits on top and slows water escaping from skin.

Concentration data shows that it can show up anywhere from a few percent in lotions up to 100% in balms, and the FDA lists cocoa butter as an OTC skin protectant active at 50-100%.

The CIR has reviewed it and concluded it to be safe as used in cosmetics.

This is one of the ingredients with a comedogenic score of 4/5 from the rabbit ear test. Just know that a later human study did find that finished products containing high-comedogenic ingredients like cocoa butter did not increase microcomedone formation.

The fair call here is that this ingredient is most likely fine on body or low-percentage formulas, but can potentially be riskier as a heavy leave-on facial product if you break out easily.

Cocoa butter may not be fungal acne safe; it is a triglyceride of C16-18 fatty acids that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

Allergies to cocoa butter are rare and uncommon, but a few cases have been documented (mostly in cases where the person ate chocolate). So if you have a tree nut allergy, be sure to patch test or avoid.

Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.

It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

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.

This ingredient 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.

This ingredient does have a comedogenic rating of 0-3, but this doesn't mean a formula with this ingredient will clog pores. Human testing has proved that any finished product with a comedogenic ingredient won't automatically make you break out; it really comes down to concentration, formula, and your skin.

In cosmetics, it acts as a skin conditioner, occlusive, and emollient that give products a rich body.

Concentrations are reported from 0.0004% to 60% with leave-on products going as high as 60% and rinse-off products staying at 8% or below.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

This ingredient does have a comedogenic rating of 3, but this doesn't mean a formula with this ingredient will clog pores. Human testing has proved that any finished product with this ingredient won't automatically make you break out; it really comes down to concentration, formula, and your skin.

Since this ingredient is a triglyceride built mostly from C16 and C18 fatty acids, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe as that falls into the range the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

Allergy-wise, the proteins responsible for plant food allergies are taken out of the refined oil. This is why reactions to refined oils are rare even from highly allergenic sources like peanut. Well-designed studies have also shown refined peanut oil is safely tolerated by the vast majority of peanut-allergic people.

However, the issue is with unrefined oils; be sure to reach out to the manufacturer if you have a plant food allergy about the type of oil used in their products.

The other catch for this INCI name is that it doesn't tell you which plants are in the blend so you would need to ask the brand.

This ingredient is often used to enhance the texture of products. The fatty acid properties also help hydrate the skin.

Having moisturized skin helps improve the skin barrier. Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

One manufacturer study using a trade blend (jojoba esters + sunflower seed wax + this ingredient + polyglycerin 3) found it to perform equal to or better than lanolin in skin hydration.

On its own, typical usage concentrations run from 0.5-10% with 1-5% the most common in creams and up to 10% in lip balms.

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.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.

Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.

Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:

It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.

Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.