Every ingredient earns its place.
Every ingredient in Daily Glow is here for a reason. Below is the research behind each one, cited and linked to the original sources, along with where the evidence is still thin and why we include the ingredient anyway.
Every source linked.
Tallow
What the research looks at: Moisturizing properties, and a fatty-acid makeup suited to skin.
Russell et al., Cureus (2024) · scoping review of 19 studies
Reviewed 19 studies (comparative, basic-science and animal) on tallow and skin. It found tallow is made up mainly of oleic, palmitic and stearic acids and offers hydrating, moisturizing properties, and it calls for controlled human research to build on that.
Read the studyMore studies
Pappas, Dermato-Endocrinology (2009) · review of the skin's surface lipids: sebum, the oil skin makes itself, is made up primarily of triglycerides, wax esters and squalene. Tallow is made largely of triglycerides. Read the study
Transparency: No controlled human trial of beef tallow on skin exists yet, and the review above calls for one. In comparison studies, some plant oils hydrated better than tallow alone; Daily Glow pairs it with linoleic-rich sunflower seed oil and argan oil.
Why it's here: Rendered tallow has been used on skin across many cultures for thousands of years. It is made mostly of triglycerides of oleic, palmitic and stearic acids, the same class of lipids that makes up much of skin's own sebum, which makes it a plausible, skin-compatible occlusive emollient that softens skin and helps seal in moisture.
Argan Oil
What the research looks at: Hydration, barrier function, and elasticity in mature skin.
Boucetta et al., Clinical Interventions in Aging (2015) · clinical study, 60 women
Sixty postmenopausal women applied argan oil to one forearm daily for 60 days. The treated skin showed significant improvements in gross, net and biological elasticity (R2, R5 and R7) and in resonance running time.
Read the studyBoucetta et al., Przegląd Menopauzalny (2014) · same cohort
In the same 60 women, topical argan oil significantly reduced water loss through the skin and increased the water content of the epidermis after 60 days.
Read the studyTransparency: Both papers come from one research group and the same cohort, and the study's randomization applied to a separate oral arm rather than the topical comparison, so we keep our claims modest.
Why it's here: Argan oil is naturally rich in antioxidant tocopherols, squalene and phytosterols that soften and condition skin, and Amazigh women in southwestern Morocco have pressed it for skin and hair care for generations, a tradition now recognized by UNESCO.
Sunflower Seed Oil
What the research looks at: Barrier integrity and hydration.
Danby et al., Pediatric Dermatology (2013) · randomized forearm-controlled study in adults
Adults applied sunflower seed oil to one forearm and olive oil to the other twice daily for four weeks. Sunflower seed oil preserved the skin barrier, caused no redness and improved hydration, while olive oil weakened the barrier.
Read the studyMore studies
Vaughn et al., American Journal of Clinical Dermatology (2018) · review of natural oils for skin-barrier repair: oils with a higher linoleic-to-oleic acid ratio, like sunflower seed oil, show better barrier-repair potential, and cold pressing best preserves their beneficial lipids. Read the study
Transparency: The study is small: 19 adults in total, and only the second group compared sunflower seed oil with olive oil. It was done on forearms, not faces.
Why it's here: Sunflower seed oil is one of the best-studied barrier-friendly plant oils, rich in the linoleic acid skin relies on to keep its barrier strong and naturally high in vitamin E. In Daily Glow it also carries the calendula and rosemary extracts.
Pomegranate Seed Oil
What the research looks at: Punicic acid, a rare fatty acid with soothing, barrier-supporting potential.
Wu & Goldman, Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2017) · randomized trial with blinded evaluation, 34 people
After cosmetic CO2 laser resurfacing of the face, people using a regimen built on conjugated linolenic acid from pomegranate seed had significantly less swelling on day 3 and less itching on days 1 and 3 than those using a 1% dimethicone ointment, and saw greater wrinkle improvement at day 14. The regimen contained other ingredients, so the oil’s own contribution can’t be isolated.
Read the studyAslam et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2006) · human skin cells
Pomegranate seed oil stimulated the growth of human epidermal keratinocytes and mildly thickened the epidermis in skin organ culture, suggesting a role in epidermal renewal. (The collagen-related effects in this study came from pomegranate peel extract, not the seed oil.)
Read the studyMore studies
Costa et al., Inflammopharmacology (2025) · in human skin cells, pomegranate seed oil was non-toxic, lowered inflammatory signals (IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha) and sped closure in a cell scratch test by about 20% in 24 hours; the authors linked these effects to its PUFA-rich profile, including punicic acid. Read the study
Transparency: No clinical trial has tested pomegranate seed oil on its own; most of its support is mechanistic, from studies of human skin cells.
Why it's here: Cold-pressed pomegranate seed oil is one of the richest natural sources of punicic acid, a rare fatty acid with soothing, barrier-supporting potential for skin, and pomegranate has been prized in beauty rituals across Persia and the Mediterranean since antiquity.
Beeswax
What the research looks at: A semi-occlusive layer that helps limit water loss and seal in moisture.
Nong et al., Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2023) · narrative review
Reviewed the published literature on beeswax in skincare. It describes beeswax as a semi-occlusive that helps minimize water loss, with humectant and emollient roles, and found studies supporting its benefits for the skin barrier. Only five clinical studies qualified (two in humans), so the authors call for more research.
Read the studyTransparency: Clinical evidence for beeswax on its own is thin; most human data come from small studies of blends. Two of the review's authors are affiliated with Burt's Bees.
Why it's here: Beeswax is one of the oldest skincare ingredients in continuous use. It forms a light, semi-occlusive layer on skin that helps seal in moisture and limit water loss, without synthetic waxes or fillers.
Calendula Extract
What the research looks at: Hydration and firmness, and the look of calm, comfortable skin.
Akhtar et al., Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica (2011) · controlled split-face study, 21 volunteers
Healthy volunteers applied a calendula extract cream to one cheek and a matching base cream to the other for eight weeks. Instrument measurements showed the calendula cream significantly improved skin hydration and firmness compared with the base cream.
Read the studyTransparency: The calendula study is small. Calendula has also been tested in larger clinical trials in medical settings; because Daily Glow is a cosmetic, not a treatment, we don't cite them here.
Why it's here: Calendula's phytosterols and unsaponifiables make it ideal nourishment for sensitive skin, and it has comforted skin in European folk care for centuries.
Bakuchiol
What the research looks at: The look of fewer lines and more even tone, with better tolerability than retinol.
Dhaliwal et al., British Journal of Dermatology (2019) · randomized, double-blind trial, 44 people
Over 12 weeks, 0.5% bakuchiol cream applied twice daily and 0.5% retinol cream applied once daily both significantly reduced wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation, with no statistical difference between them. Retinol users reported more facial scaling and stinging.
Read the studyMore studies
Chaudhuri & Bojanowski, International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2014) · in a full-thickness human skin model, bakuchiol produced gene-expression changes strikingly similar to retinol's, including collagen genes, without being a retinoid; a 12-week case study of a bakuchiol product showed improved lines, wrinkles and firmness. The lead author is affiliated with Sytheon, a bakuchiol supplier. Read the study
Transparency: The trial is small (44 people) and dosed bakuchiol twice daily against retinol once daily, so we say “comparable,” not “as effective as retinol.”
Why it's here: Bakuchiol comes from the seeds of the babchi plant, used in Ayurvedic care for centuries, and it has the strongest clinical evidence of any botanical in the formula: retinol-comparable results for the look of lines and uneven tone, with fewer side effects.
Mānuka Essential Oil
What the research looks at: Compounds that are antibacterial and antioxidant in lab studies.
Mathew et al., Pharmaceuticals (2020) · literature review
A review of the evidence on mānuka oil through mid-2020. It found extensive lab data on antimicrobial activity, largely tied to beta-triketones such as leptospermone, and concluded that clinical studies are still needed to establish efficacy, safety and dosing.
Read the studyBučková et al., Molecules (2026) · human skin cells
In human keratinocytes, mānuka essential oil did not damage DNA, raised antioxidant status, and sped closure in a cell scratch test at a very low concentration; it also showed strong antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Read the studyTransparency: No human skincare trial of mānuka oil exists yet, and lab studies show its effects depend on concentration, which is why Daily Glow uses only a small amount.
Why it's here: Māori have drawn on the mānuka tree in traditional care for generations. A small amount adds naturally occurring compounds that are antibacterial and antioxidant in lab studies, to help support clear, healthy-looking skin.
Rosemary Extract
What the research looks at: Antioxidant protection for skin-surface lipids.
Park et al., Experimental Dermatology (2013) · human skin cells
Carnosic acid, a key antioxidant in rosemary, blocked UV-induced production of collagen-degrading enzymes (MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-9) in human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes in a dose-dependent way, by suppressing oxidative stress.
Read the studyMore studies
Calabrese et al., International Journal of Tissue Reactions (2000) · an alcoholic rosemary leaf extract showed strong antioxidant activity and inhibited oxidative changes to skin-surface lipids in lab and in vivo tests. Read the study
Transparency: No human trial of topical rosemary extract on its own exists yet. Human skin trials of rosemary have used oral blends, which we don't cite because they don't apply to a topical product.
Why it's here: Rosemary extract contains potent natural antioxidants, including carnosic and rosmarinic acids, that help protect skin-surface lipids from oxidative stress, and rosemary has been part of Mediterranean skin preparations since antiquity.
Vitamin E
What the research looks at: Antioxidant protection for skin-surface lipids, and skin conditioning.
Thiele & Ekanayake-Mudiyanselage, Molecular Aspects of Medicine (2007) · review
A review of vitamin E in human skin. Experimental evidence supports photoprotective and barrier-stabilizing roles, though controlled clinical studies defining doses and uses are still lacking.
Read the studyMurray et al., Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2008) · human in vivo study
On human skin, a topical antioxidant solution of 15% vitamin C, 1% vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and 0.5% ferulic acid significantly reduced UV-induced redness and sunburn-cell formation in a controlled exposure test. Vitamin E’s individual contribution can’t be isolated.
Read the studyMore studies
Keen & Hassan, Indian Dermatology Online Journal (2016) · review: vitamin E is an important fat-soluble antioxidant, used in dermatology for more than 50 years and common in cosmetics, though controlled clinical studies remain limited. Read the study
Transparency: Nearly all human skin data use alpha-tocopherol, often paired with vitamin C, so evidence for vitamin E on its own is limited. Daily Glow is not a sunscreen.
Why it's here: Vitamin E is one of skin's own key antioxidants. It helps protect skin-surface lipids from oxidative stress and keeps skin feeling soft and conditioned.
One balm. Four jobs.
Most ingredients do more than one job, and that overlap is the formula. Nothing works alone: the lipids carry the oil-soluble actives and hold them in, the antioxidants protect your skin, and the soothing botanicals calm the look of stress so renewal has a head start.
Explore the formula
Select an ingredient to see what it contributes, or tap a function to see which ingredients power it.
Simplify Skincare
One complete balm. Zero compromises.
Renews automatically every 3 months at $90 until you cancel. Cancel anytime from your account. See Subscription Policy.
50ml jar (1.59 OZ) · 90-day supply · Free Shipping*
*Within the contiguous US.