What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Coco-Caprylate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Saccharide Isomerate, Sclerotium Gum, Ceramide NP, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Stearyl Alcohol, Levulinic Acid, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Isopropyl Myristate, Ceramide NP, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Ectoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sucrose Distearate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Citrate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your 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.
Aquaporin-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.
This 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.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
