What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLauryl Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
BufferingPhytic Acid
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSucrose
HumectantAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract
AstringentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEuphorbia Cerifera Cera
AstringentButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Niacinamide, Saccharide Isomerate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Phytic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Beta-Sitosterol, Glyceryl Behenate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Oleic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Potassium Hydroxide, Gluconolactone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantTranexamic Acid
AstringentCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSucrose Distearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Alpha-Arbutin, Tranexamic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Xanthan Gum, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sucrose Distearate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide 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 NPEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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