Victoria’s Secret Pillowy Lip Mask

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.

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.

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.

This ingredient (alongside other synthetic waxes) have been concluded to be safe in cosmetics under the present practices.

Reported usage goes up to 18% and it is non-sensitizing.

Just one caveat for fungal acne: This ingredient is made up of C16-32 fatty acids and fatty acid esters. Part of this overlaps with the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on, so it's not fungal-acne safe.

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%.

Depending on the concentration, it can drastically change the texture of a product from pasty solid (like lipstick) to sprayable liquid.

The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics. The highest reported use concentration is 14.2% in lipsticks.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

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.

This ingredient is generally safe for use in cosmetics with one nuance: some grades of candelilla wax can naturally contain benzyl alcohol at concentrations high enough to require declaration under EU labeling rules. This isn't a concern for most people but relevant for those with fragrance sensitivities.

Candelilla wax contains fatty acids (mainly C31) and wax esters that can be used by the Malassezia yeast, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

You might see Euphorbia Cerifera "Cera" instead of "wax". This is because some brands, databases, or labels use it interchangeably; they're the same ingredient.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

According to EU CosIng, this ingredient helps soften skin, keep oil and water stay mixed, and thickens products.

Hydrogenated castor oil at 30% did not trigger a positive patch-test reaction and is well-tolerated.

Since this ingredient is based on an 18-carbon fatty acid, it falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on and may not be fungal acne safe.