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

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Emollient

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

Behenyl Alcohol

Emollient, Emulsion Stabilising

Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).

Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.

Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.

In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.

Learn more about Behenyl Alcohol

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

C14-22 Alcohols

Emulsion Stabilising

C14-22 Alcohols is made up of synthetic fatty alcohols. More specifically, these fatty alcohols contain 14 to 22 carbons in the alkyl chain.

Its main purpose is to stabilize products. As an emulsifier, it helps prevent waters and oils from separating.

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning

Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.

Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.

Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.

If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.

Read more about other common types of ceramides here: Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP

Learn more about Ceramide NP

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

Emulsifying

We don't have a description for C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside yet.

Glyceryl Caprylate

Emollient, Emulsifying

Glyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid, a fatty acid from coconut. It has emollient and emulsifier properties.

As an emollient, it helps hydrate your skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier on your skin to trap moisture in, helping to keep your skin soft and smooth.

On the other hand, emulsifiers prevent ingredients (such as oil and water) from separating.

Learn more about Glyceryl Caprylate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

Hydrogenated Lecithin is created from the hydrogenation of lecithin (a group of phospholipids). Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between hydrogen and another element.

This ingredient is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps soften skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Ingredient Ratings

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

3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

When to use

Anua 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream 65 ingredients

ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 42 ingredients

108 Routines

44% use in am

56% use in pm

93% use every day

When to use See routines that use it ->

1,727 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

Anua 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream 65 ingredients

3.6 /5

from 5 ratings

Absorbs Well (2) Hydrating (2) No Scent (2)

Retriever

5 months ago

Review

This is Like the AESTURA ATOBARRIER365 Cream if it were made for normal skin people instead of dry. Instead of being greasy (and potentially acne causing) this dries down quite well while leaving a protective barrier.

#great value

#absorbs well

#no scent

#works well

Anua

3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream

Masha Posmitukha

1 month ago

Review

I have an oily T-zone, some redness on my cheeks, early signs of couperosis around my nose, and visibly large pores. This cream didn’t cause any issues — no breakouts, no clogged pores, and it didn’t make sebaceous filaments more noticeable. Quite the opposite, combined with a 10% azelaic acid serum, it slightly reduced redness and even out my skin tone. I wake up with less noticeable redness when Show more

#oily

#works well

Anua

3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream

ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 42 ingredients

3.5 /5

from 59 ratings

Heavy (22) No Scent (20) Great Value (20)

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