What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Niacinamide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Myristyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Myristic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicAscorbic Acid/Orange/Citrus Limon/Citrus Aurantifolia Polypeptides
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Isocetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Palmitoyl Carnitine
Skin ConditioningPCA
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Polyquaternium-24
PEG-8
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Myristyl Myristate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sorbitol, Stearic Acid, PEG-40 Stearate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Superoxide Dismutase, Ceramide NP, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Ascorbic Acid/Orange/Citrus Limon/Citrus Aurantifolia Polypeptides, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isocetyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hcl, Proline, Glycine, Palmitoyl Carnitine, PCA, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lecithin, Polyquaternium-24, PEG-8, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
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 NPDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearateHydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.
Learn more about Hydrogenated PolyisobuteneMyristyl Myristate is created from the fatty acids of myristyl alcohol and myristic acid. In skincare, it is an emollient and texture enhancer.
On its own, this ingredient has a comedogenicity index of 5/5. This means it has the potential to clog pores. When diluted with cetyl alcohol or propylene glycol, the comedogenicity will decrease.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Nutmeg, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil all contain this ingredient naturally.
Learn more about Myristyl MyristatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
