What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ectoin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Cera
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningEctoin, Water, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Squalane, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oryza Sativa Bran Cera, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carbomer, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Glycine, Alanine, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycerin, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCoconut Alkanes
EmollientEctoin 2%
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialTriethyl Citrate
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningBehenic Acid
CleansingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Ectoin 2%, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Triethyl Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Behenic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Polyglycerin-3, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide 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 NPEctoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.
This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.
When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.
Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:
A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.
Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.
In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:
Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.
Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.
The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.
Learn more about EctoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene 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 GlycolWater. 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