What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCucurbita Pepo Cotyledon Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Poria Cocos Extract, Dipeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Panthenol, Cucurbita Pepo Cotyledon Extract, Bisabolol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventTephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingNiacinamide
SmoothingHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantSteareth-20
CleansingDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDesamido Collagen
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Extract
AntioxidantDimethicone
EmollientRutin
AntioxidantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingTriethanolamine
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Squalane, Propanediol, Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Urea, Niacinamide, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Steareth-20, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Desamido Collagen, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Dimethicone, Rutin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Caffeine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APCeramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.
It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.
EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).
Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.
Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.
In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.
You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.
Learn more about Ceramide EOPCeramide 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 NPCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
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 DimethiconeDipeptide-2 is a peptide. It can help to reduce the effects of aging.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin as a building block for ceramides.. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.
Phytosphingosine contributes to your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.
Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.
Fun fact: Phytosphingosine is abundant in plants and fungi.
More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:
Learn more about PhytosphingosineSodium Lauroyl Lactylate is the lauric acid sodium salt of lactyl lactate.
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is an emulsifier and surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. They do this by preventing ingredients from separating, such as oils and water which do not mix naturally. Surfactants reduce surface tension, making it easier to rinse pollutants off skin.
Due to its relation to lauric acid, it may provide antimicrobial benefits.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl LactylateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum