Augustinus Bader The Cream Versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane

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

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.

Xanthan 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.

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

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.

Sodium Carbomer is used to thicken products and create a gel-like consistency.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.

Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is usually an astringent alcohol.

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein is protein extracted from rice. This ingredient is rich in antioxidants and peptides.

Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

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

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.

Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is created from the hydrogenation of lecithin. Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between molecule hydrogen and another element.

Ascorbyl Palmitate is created by combining pure Vitamin C and palmitic acid. It is an antioxidant and helps reduce hyperpigmentation.

Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.

Glycine Soja Protein comes from the soybean. It is an emulsifer and helps to condition skin. Emulsifiers prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oils.

Superoxide Dismutase is found in all living cells. This ingredient is AKA as 'SOD'.

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

We don't have a description for Dextran.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8 isn't fungal acne safe and is a peptide.

We don't have a description for Alanyl Glutamine.

Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.

Ceramide NG is a type of Ceramide. The NG stands for a sphinganine base.

Glycine is an amino acid that helps build proteins. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.

Lysine is an essential amino acid. Your body is unable to produce it naturally and we mainly get lysine from food sources.

Oleic Acid is an Omega-9 fatty acid. It can be found in many plant oils such as avocado and marula oils.

Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid found in our skin. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It is a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.

Phenylalanine is an amino acid. It is a skin soothing and hydrating ingredient. Amino acids play a crucial role in wound healing and skin hydration.

Proline is an amino-acid. It helps moisturize the skin and plays an important role in creating proteins.

We don't have a description for Scenedesmus Rubescens Extract.

Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.

Retinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

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

Sodium Dextran Sulfate is a type of sulfate.

Brassica Alcohol isn't fungal acne safe.

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

Oligopeptide-177 is a peptide.

Sodium Ascorbate is a form of Vitamin C. It is derived from the sodium salt of ascorbic acid.

Tocopherol (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.