What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantEctoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialResveratrol
AntioxidantLactic Acid
BufferingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTetraacetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydroxyectoin
BufferingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Phytate
Cholesterol
EmollientDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSucrose Distearate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
EmulsifyingEthyl Oleate
EmollientWater, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ectoin, Sodium Lactate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Resveratrol, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Folic Acid, Hydroxyectoin, Maltodextrin, Sodium Phytate, Cholesterol, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Sucrose Distearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Ethyl Oleate
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientDecyl Cocoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Squalane, Decyl Cocoate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Asiaticoside, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCeramide 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 NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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