What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingN-Palmitoyl Serinol
Skin ProtectingBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSialyllactose
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHypericum Perforatum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
AntioxidantHeptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Distearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, N-Palmitoyl Serinol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Phytosterols, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sialyllactose, Allantoin, Panthenol, Hypericum Perforatum Flower Extract, Adenosine, Resveratrol, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Stearate, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientSqualane
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingCholesterol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingCitrus Nobilis Peel Extract
MaskingPCA
HumectantTetrasodium EDTA
Glycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingPolyacrylamide
Linolenic Acid
CleansingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Methylpropanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Panthenol, Ectoin, Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Glucoside, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Squalane, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Laureth-7, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium PCA, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Lactate, Cholesterol, Hyaluronic Acid, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract, PCA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glycine, Alanine, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Serine, Valine, Sodium Salicylate, Citric Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Threonine, Isoleucine, Proline, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Polyacrylamide, Linolenic Acid, Ceramide EOP
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractCeramide 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 PanthenolSodium 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