Kadidja Shea Supremely Beneficial Skin Serum
A serum with 4 ingredients, including vitamin E.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Oil and Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
Worth noting
Contains Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, an EU-listed fragrance allergen.
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Key Ingredients
Benefits
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Ingredients Explained
This oil comes from the shea tree.
It has emollient properties - meaning when applied, it creates a thin film to trap moisture within. This helps keep your skin smooth and hydrated.
Lavandula Angustifolia Extract comes from the flowers and leaves of the lavender plant. It's mostly used in skincare for its scent plus a bit of skin conditioning properties.
Lab research credits it with soothing, antioxidant, and wound-supporting effects. This is largely thanks to a compound called rosmarinic acid.
Rosmarinic acid has been shown to calm inflammation signaling in skin cells (the same pathways that flare up in conditions like eczema and psoriasis). It also has real antimicrobial and antifungal activity in test-tube studies.
This ingredient is typically used in low concentrations (generally well under 1%) where it acts as a light fragrance + mild skin soother extract.
The main thing to know is that lavender contains two naturally fragrant molecules: Linalool and Linalyl Acetate. Some people's skin does perfectly fine with fragrance while others don't.
Just be sure to patch test if you have reactive skin or known plant allergies.
Linalool and Linalyl Acetate are gentle when fresh but oxidize into compounds that can cause allergic contact dermatitis when exposed to air. Patch-test studies of patients already being investigated for skin allergies found about 5-7% of patients had reactions to oxidized linalool, and 2.8% of patients reacted to oxidized lavender oil.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia ExtractThis ingredient is also known as rosehip seed oil. It helps smooth skin, soften rough patches, and support a healthy moisture barrier as an emollient.
Rosehip seed oil is one of the more polyunsaturated plant oils in cosmetics; it's loaded with fatty acids like linoleic acid (~44%), alpha-linoleic acid (~34%), and oleic acid (~14).
Another interesting compound that makes it stand out from other oils is the trace amount of all-trans retinoic acid (the same molecule as prescription tretinoin), along with some carotenoids and tocopherols.
The linoleic acid is a precursor to ceramide 1, one of the essential lipids in the stratum corneum. Topical linoleic acid application has been shown to improve barrier function and reduce comedone size in clinical studies.
One study found that linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid lighten UV-induced hyperpigmentation. A 2015 study found that participants who used rosehip twice daily for eight weeks saw improvements in crow's feet, skin moisture, and skin elasticity compared to the placebo.
If you're hoping to get tretinoin benefits from this ingredient, it's worth noting the trans-retinoid acid is trace-level and minimal compared to the amount of retinol or tretinoin found in formulas.
A 2024 review highlighted the fatty acid composition in rosehip-based dermatological products for:
Typical usage rates range from 1-100% with 5-10% being the most common in moisturizers.
Since the oil is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, it's prone to oxidation. Look for formulations stabilized with ingredients like vitamin E and be sure to store away from light/heat.
Fungal acne: This oil is not considered fungal acne safe because dominant fatty acids fall into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Rosa Rubiginosa Seed OilTocopherol 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 TocopherolReviews
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Where it's from
Kadidja is a American brand
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We're dedicated to providing you with the most up-to-date and science-backed ingredient info out there.
The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.
Read more about us· Published July 17, 2021 • Added by JoeL_152
