What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ceramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Propanediol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Allantoin, Sodium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientEthylhexyl Olivate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningMatrixyl 3000
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningTriolein
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Oleate
EmollientUndecane
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantGlyceryl Dioleate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTridecane
PerfumingBetaine
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Phytate
Sodium PCA
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingPCA
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingSerine
MaskingAlanine
MaskingPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlycine
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Arginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Isopropyl Myristate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Squalane, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Hexapeptide-11, Matrixyl 3000, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Triolein, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Oleate, Undecane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Dioleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Tridecane, Betaine, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Sodium Benzoate, Serine, Alanine, Palmitic Acid, Glycine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerCeramide 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 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 NsEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol (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.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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