What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientC13-15 Alkane
SolventAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientAmps/Hema Crosspolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Bisabolol
AntioxidantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cholesterol
EmollientLecithin
EmollientCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, C13-15 Alkane, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Saccharide Isomerate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Squalane, Amps/Hema Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Bisabolol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cholesterol, Lecithin, Coco-Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientGlycine Soja Hull
AbrasiveCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bisabolol, Arginine, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Glycine Soja Hull, Ceramide EOP, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCentella 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 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 EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.
It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.
EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).
Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.
Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.
In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.
You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.
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 NPCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateWater. 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