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Allies of Skin CE15 Bakuchiol Firming Oil Versus BYOMA Hydrating Recovery Oil

Allies of Skin CE15 Bakuchiol Firming Oil Versus BYOMA Hydrating Recovery Oil This anti-aging oil is formulated around Rosa Canina Fruit Oil and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin. This hydrating oil is form

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Allies of Skin CE15 Bakuchiol Firming Oil Versus BYOMA Hydrating Recovery Oil

This anti-aging oil is formulated around Rosa Canina Fruit Oil and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

This hydrating oil is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil

Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Punica Granatum Seed Oil

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Tocopheryl Acetate

Nigella Sativa Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Squalane

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil

Bakuchiol

Ubiquinone

Teprenone

Physalis Angulata Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Bakuchiol, Ubiquinone, Teprenone, Physalis Angulata Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil

Dipropylene Glycol

Sphingolipids

Hydroxyacetophenone

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Ceramide NP

Tocopherol

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Squalane, Sphingolipids, Hydroxyacetophenone, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.

It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.

The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.

The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.

Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.

One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).

This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.

On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil is a non-fragrant plant oil that has earned its skincare reputation through chemistry.

It's dominated by fatty acids like linoleic acid (~35-55%), alpha-linolenic acid (~17-27%), and oleic acid (~14-22%). This is the exact profile that supports skin barrier, locks in hydration, and calms inflammation.

A 2024 review found evidence for the Rosa canina species supports its use for scarring, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and atopic dermatitis; this was mostly credited to its vitamin C content and fatty acid composition as the primary active mechanisms.

You might see this ingredient marketed as a "natural retinol". Some rosehip seed oils contains traces of all-trans-retinoic acid but these trace amounts are far below biologically active levels.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has deemed this ingredient safe and it's well-tolerated.

Fungal acne: The fatty acids of this oil fall into the C11-24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

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Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Alpha-Arbutin is a brightening active used to fade dark spots, melasma, and post-acne marks. Structurally, it is a hydroquinone with a sugar molecule attached (but is much gentler than raw hydroquinone).
  4. 04It has a pretty elegant way of working; it slots into tyrosinase, or the key enzyme that your skin uses to make melanin), and competitively blocks it so your skin produces less pigment over time.
  5. 05There are two forms of arbutin and alpha is the better one to reach for: it works at lower amounts, absorbs into skin more easily, and has a strong safety record.
  6. 06The science backs this up too: lab and animal studies confirm it lowers melanin by blocking tyosinase and the more you use (up to a point), the more it works.
  7. 07Human studies look good too.
  8. 08A 2024 trial found a cream with 5% alpha-arbutin and 2% kojic acid worked about as well as a prescription melasma cream but with fewer side effects. Another study showed 2% alpha-arbutin paired with 10% Trihydroxybenzoic Acid Glucoside and sunscreen…
  9. 09Concentration-wise, most serums land in the 1-2% range.
  10. 10The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded that alpha-arbutin is safe in face creams up to 2% and body lotions up to 0.5%.
  11. 11Overall, this is a well-studied and low-irritation brightener that's a great pick for anyone dealing with uneven skin tone. It also pairs well with vitamin C, niacinamide, and sunscreen.
  12. 12Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  13. 13It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
  14. 14On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
  15. 15Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  16. 16You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
  17. 17Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  18. 18Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
  19. 19Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
  20. 20Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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03

Comparison edit

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