Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

iUNIK Calendula Complete Cleansing Oil Versus Paula's Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil

iUNIK Calendula Complete Cleansing Oil Versus Paula's Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup. What's inside Key Ingredients No key ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-si

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

iUNIK Calendula Complete Cleansing Oil Versus Paula's Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Canola Oil

Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Cananga Odorata Flower Oil

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Canola Oil, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Mipa-Laureth Sulfate

Laureth-4

Laureth-7

Triethylhexanoin

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Vitis Vinifera

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables

Tocopherol

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Mipa-Laureth Sulfate, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Triethylhexanoin, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

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.

Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.

Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.

Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.

Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).

Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.

Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.

Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

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

01

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. 03Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
  4. 04What makes it special?
  5. 05OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
  6. 06Here's what each tier does best:
  7. 07Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
  8. 08Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
  9. 09Caprylic/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.
  10. 10Though 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.
  11. 11In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
  12. 12While 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.
  13. 13Fractionated 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.
  14. 14This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
  15. 15This 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…
  16. 16Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  17. 17Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  18. 18Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
  19. 19Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
  20. 20This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles