What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Astrocaryum Vulgare Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventShorea Stenoptera Seed Butter
Emollient
Nigella Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Betaine
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrapeptide-30
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Astrocaryum Vulgare Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Squalane, Methylpropanediol, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Bisabolol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Betaine, Adenosine, Sodium Phytate, Ceramide NP, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrapeptide-30, Potassium Sorbate, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Flour
Skin ConditioningCollagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Oleyl Alcohol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, Collagen Extract, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycine Soja Sterols, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Tocopherol, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 NPCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin as a building block for ceramides.. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.
Phytosphingosine contributes to your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.
Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.
Fun fact: Phytosphingosine is abundant in plants and fungi.
More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:
Learn more about PhytosphingosineTocopherol 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
