
In this post, I will unravel the worst kept secret, I prefer oils over moisturizers. WHY you may ask? Before we proceed, I need to clarify on the onset, by NO means am I being conclusive on oils over moisturizers, and neither am I claiming to be 100% Green Beauty person. I love my scientific skincare just as much and have no problems with laboratory generated ingredients. Neither am I saying one is superior to the other; it’s a matter of making an informed and educated choice for your skin. And eventually we all want something that works and does its job as it claims.
Moving on…..Over the last couple of posts we’ve been through, types of oils, their formulation, and extraction processes which impact overall quality of oil. I’m blatantly assuming you already know some, if not all benefits of oils.
Any basic oil formulation is a well measured and balanced blend of carrier and essential oils to benefit the skin. However, moisturizers are a slightly different story. Let’s start with analyzing, some popular oils and their ingredient listing.
Left pic – MV Organic Rose Booster Plus
Camellia (Camellia Sinensis) Oil*, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinesis) Oil*, Rosehip (Rosa Canina Fruit) Oil*, Rose (Rosa Damascena) Oil, Geranium (Pelargonium Roseum) Oil, Vitamin E non GM (Tocopherol), Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Extract* With essential oil of: Rose Otto and Rose Geranium (* Organically Grown)
Right pic – Essano Rosehip Oil
Rosa Canina (Rosehip), Fruit Oil (Ingredients from organic farming), Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Pulp Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (VitaminE).
Now focusing the ingredient listing specifically on moisturizers. In the spirit of simplifying ingredient listing, you need to only focus on bold ingredients (bottom of the post).
Generally, all moisturizers start with Water/Aqua. Once you add water to any formulation, you need to add other classes/categories of ingredients to achieve right consistency, texture, absorption properties and longevity in a formulation.
Please note: This list is not expected to contain all ingredients in the products below; instead it is intended to identify different categories/classes of ingredients added to a typical moisturizer formulation with some examples of ingredients in each category. The list of ingredients in the beauty world is exhaustive.
- Surfectants – PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, PEG-80 sorbitan laurate, and PEG-40 stearate are mild cleansing agents, Laureth-7
- Alcohols – Benzyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat (most drying but in some formulations its necessary), Batyl Alcohol
- Skin Conditioning – Propylene Glycol, Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate
- Emollients – Panthenol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate
- Emulsifiers/Thickener – Paraffin, PEG (-4, -6, -8, -10, -12, -14, -16, -18, -32, -40 -100 Stearate, -150, -200, -350) Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20,40,60,80, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Carbomer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
- Silicone – Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, acrylates/dimethicone copolymer, cetyl dimethicone, caprylyl methicone, dimethicone crosspolymer, methyl trimethicone, polysilicone-11, siloxane, triethoxycaprylylsilane, vinyl dimethicone/methicone silsesquioxane crosspolymer, methicone
- Preservatives – Phenoxyethanol, Borax, diazolidinyl urea (releases formaldehyde, should be avoided), sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, sorbic acid, Parabens (isobutylparaben, methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, methylparaben, and ethylparaben)
These don’t necessarily imply the ingredients are “bad”, “toxic”, “harmful” ingredients. I guess it’s a matter of making an informed choice if you’d like to apply all these to your skin or directly apply oils (in its purest form….as much as possible). I chose the latter for my skin, as it works just fine for me. So whilst majority of the times, I prefer oils and balms for my skin occasionally I love the ritual of opening a jar of thick whipped white cream, dipping my fingers in the jar and slathering the cream all over my skin. It’s a different sense of pleasure in that ritual.
Side Note
When you’re reading your ingredient listing Mineral Oil can be listed in various names such as C13-14 Isoparaffin, Petrolatum, Paraffinum liquidum, Paraffin Oil, Liquid Paraffin, White oil, Hydrocarbon oil, Petroleum Hydrocarbon.
Ingredient Lists for you to peruse:
Tula Skincare Night and Day Cream
Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Squalane (plant derived), Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Lactose, Milk Protein, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Yogurt Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Cichorium Intybus (Chicory) Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Vegetable Oil, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Fruit Extract, Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Carbonate, Polysorbate 80, Polysorbate 20, Beeswax (CeraAlba), Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Dr Scheller Lavender Night Cream for Sensitive Skin
AQUA (WATER), HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL*, GLYCERIN, SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL*, COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL*, GLYCERYL STEARATE CITRATE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL*, SQUALANE, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, PLUKENETIA VOLUBILIS (INCA INCHI) SEED OIL*, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) FLOWER EXTRACT*, BISABOLOL, GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA (LICORICE) ROOT EXTRACT*, GELLAN GUM, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE)**, LINALOOL**, LIMONENE**, GERANIOL**, BENZYL SALICYLATE**, COUMARIN**, CITRAL**, XANTHAN GUM, STEARIC ACID, PALMITIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, TOCOPHEROL *ingredients from certified organic agriculture **from natural essential oils
Context Skin Night Cream
Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Squalane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Sodium PCA, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Silk, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglcerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, o-Cymen-5-ol, Phenoxyethanol.
Clarins Hydra Quench Cream
Water, Glycerin, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Laureth-7, Cedrelopsis Grevei Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Pyrus Sorbus Bud Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate
CLINIQUE Moisture Surge Intense For Very Dry To Dry Combination Skin
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Squalane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Bran) Extract, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Whey Protein\Lactis Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria), Cholesterol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Petrolatum, PEG-150, Sucrose, Pyridoxine Dipalmitate, Linoleic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Polysilicone-11, Propylene Carbonate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, PEG-8, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair Cream with Peptide K8™
Water, Stearic Acid, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil,Squalane, Cholesterol, Urea, Sodium PCA, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Silk Powder, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-51, Trehalose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance, Allantoin, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ceramide 2, Citric Acid, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Tribehenin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triacetin, Copper PCA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzoic Acid, Geraniol, Disodium EDTA.
Kate Somerville Oil Free Moisturizer
Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isocetyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Nylon-6, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Octanoate, Xylitolglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Algae Extract, Pullulan, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Trideceth-6, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol.
Kate Somerville Nourish Daily Moisturizer
Water, Cetyl Lactate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Chlorphenesin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum/Fragrance, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Polysorbate 20, Retinyl Palmitate, Limonene.
Zelens Stem Cell Rejuvenating Overnight Treatment
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Ethylhexyldodecanol, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Propylene Glycol, Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Polysilicone-11, Butylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Acrylate/Carbamate Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Ozonized Oryza Sativa Callus Culture Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laureth-7, Parfum (Fragrance), Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Dextran, Salicylic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Linalool, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Pentapeptide-31.
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