What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-10
HumectantHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Water, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Glycerin, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Oligopeptide-1, Polyglycerin-10, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Betaine, Trehalose, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ubiquinone
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Salmon Egg Extract
Squalane
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Erythritol, Retinol, Astaxanthin, Salmon Egg Extract, Squalane, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Extract is the extract of the whole Aloe plant. It has anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and healing properties.
Aloe contains the antioxidants Vitamins A, C, and E. . These vitamins neutralize free radicals.
It also contains sugars in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, choline, many common minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
The polysaccharides in aloe help moisturize your skin.
Despite helping with sunburn, aloe should not replace your sunscreen.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis ExtractCaprylhydroxamic Acid is a chelating agent that helps cosmetics stay fresh, stable, and consistent over time.
Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted reactions and effects from using the product. It also helps prevent the growth of unwanted microbes in products that contain water.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is often used with natural antimicrobial products as an alternative to preservatives.
Learn more about Caprylhydroxamic AcidCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APCeramide AS is formally known as Ceramides 4 and 5.
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.
Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1 and Ceramide 1 A.
EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin. They bind dead skin cells together to create a barrier. The ceramides in our skin have the ability to hold water to keep our skin hydrated.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A strong skin barrier helps with:
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here:
Learn more about Ceramide EOPCeramide EOS 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.
Ceramide EOS is a synthetic N-acylated sphingolipid consisting of Sphingosine having the D-erythro structure linked to an esterified omega-hydroxy saturated or unsaturated fatty acid
Learn more about Ceramide EosCeramide NG is a type of Ceramide. The NG stands for a sphinganine base.
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
Ceramide NP
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 NPCeramide NS is formally known as Ceramide 2. It is one of the major ceramides in the stratum corneum (outermost layer of skin) plays a role in forming a protective barrier.
Due to its structure, skin lipids can be packed tightly and in turn, this strengthens the barrier and reduces water loss.
Studies show conditions like atopic dermatitis can worsen when ceramide NS levels are low.
Learn more about Ceramide NsGlycerin (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 Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateSodium 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
