What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Apium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentBrassica Rapa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
AstringentNatto Gum
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Methionine
Skin Conditioning
Theanine
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Microcrystalline Wax, Cyclopentasiloxane, Betaine, Ceramide NP, Polyquaternium-51, PEG-100 Stearate, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, Arginine, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Brassica Rapa Leaf Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Natto Gum, Centella Asiatica Extract, Disodium EDTA, Lysine Hcl, Proline, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Acetyl Methionine, Theanine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Propanediol
Solvent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Vinyldimethicone
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), 1,2-Hexanediol, Trehalose, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Beta-Sitosterol, Carbomer, Arginine, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Phytosterols, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Ectoin, Ceramide NP, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Allantoin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Vinyldimethicone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCeramide 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 NPCetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 StearateSodium 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 HyaluronateStearic 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 AcidWater. 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
