This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Linoleic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDiglycerin
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentPerilla Ocymoides Leaf/Stem Oil
MaskingPhytic Acid
Tocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Diglycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Citrate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf/Stem Oil, Phytic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCoconut Alkanes
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientMeadowfoam Estolide
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventLinoleic Acid
CleansingPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentTribehenin
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantUrea
BufferingDilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Hydroxyproline Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantSodium Phytate
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTriacetin
AntimicrobialCastor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Glyceryl Stearate, Meadowfoam Estolide, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Triheptanoin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Methylpropanediol, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Sodium PCA, Urea, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Hydroxyproline Palmitamide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Ceramide Ng, Trehalose, Sodium Phytate, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Palmitic Acid, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Tocopherol, Triacetin, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 StearateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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