Biossance Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil Versus Biossance Squalane + Elderberry Jelly Cleanser

Biossance Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil Versus Biossance Squalane + Elderberry Jelly Cleanser

This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.

This oil-based cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate

Squalane

Hydrogenated Farnesene

Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate

Triethylhexanoin

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Rosa Moschata Seed Oil

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Lavandula Hybrida Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Limonene

Linalool

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Squalane, Hydrogenated Farnesene, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate, Triethylhexanoin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Limonene, Linalool

Glycerin

Water

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sucrose Laurate

Sucrose Stearate

Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract

Lactobacillus

Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Acacia Senegal Gum

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Sucrose Palmitate

Phenethyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Maltodextrin

Citric Acid

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Water, Squalane, Hydrogenated Farnesene, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Stearate, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sucrose Palmitate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Maltodextrin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

We don't have a description for Hydrogenated Farnesene yet.

This is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.

Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.

These compounds protect your skin two ways:

1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin. 2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.

Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.

Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Tocopherol 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.

Similar Comparisons