Water. 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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Butylene Glycol

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Learn more about Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Dimethicone

Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone

Polyacrylate-13

Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.

Polyacrylate-13 creates a film to protect the skin. It is also used to thicken and stabilize a product. It works by making water a gel-like consistency. This gel consistency helps suspend particles.

Polyacrylate-13 is a copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide, sodium acrylate, sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate monomers

Learn more about Polyacrylate-13

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.

A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.

Polyisobutene

Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.

It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.

Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.

Learn more about Polyisobutene

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying

Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.

As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.

Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.

The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.

Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Emulsifying

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, Sorbitan Isostearate prevents oils and water from separating.

Due to its isostearic acid base, it may not be safe for Malassezia or fungal acne.

Learn more about Sorbitan Isostearate

Ingredient Ratings

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

When to use

Always Be Pure Ultra Calming Cream 60 ingredients

ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 42 ingredients

21 Routines

52% use in am

48% use in pm

100% use every day

1,679 Routines

37% use in am

63% use in pm

95% use every day

When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Always Be Pure Ultra Calming Cream 60 ingredients

Ultra Calming Cream hasn't been rated yet.

Rate it now

ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 42 ingredients

3.4 /5

from 57 ratings

Heavy (21) No Scent (19) Great Value (19)

raggedrobbin

1 year ago

Review

Unexpectedly nice on my sensitive and acne-prone skin. Didn't cause breakouts
and didn't feel heavy at all and worked great under makeup.

UPDATE:

I've come back to say that this is officially my moisturizer endgame and ultimate HG.

After trying out almost all of the (AB and non AB) barrier / repair moisturizers raved about online, my verdict is that not only is this (still) the Show more

#great value

#hydrating

#absorbs well

#no scent

ILLIYOON

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

Butter

1 year ago

Review

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 🤎

🥥 𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞: 𝐃𝐫𝐲/𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐜𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞.

🪴 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬:

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬 & 𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 Show more

#great value

#hydrating

#no scent

#works well

ILLIYOON

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream