Versus

ELFORMULA Mugwort Soothing Water Gel Versus Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer - International

General Moisturizer
General Moisturizer
Indonesian Brand Indonesia
Indian Brand India

Updated on January 30, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Cyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.

D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.

It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.

Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.

Learn more about Cyclopentasiloxane
Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin
Skin Conditioning

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Learn more about Panthenol
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol 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.

When to use

1 Routine
100% use in am
0% use in pm
100% use every day
242 Routines
50% use in am
50% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

ELFORMULA Mugwort Soothing Water Gel 20 ingredients

Mugwort Soothing Water Gel hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer 19 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 7 ratings
No Scent (4) Great Value (3) Works Well (3)
Alaa_ysf's avatar

Alaa Ali

8 months ago
Review

It does moisturize, it's light, but it might work for oily skin, not sensitive. My skin broke out. Update #1 my skin barrier is damaged because I've been using retinol and then I used an exfoliation scrub. So, I took a break from my entire routine and started gentle cleansing and using this B5 as a moisturizer. It's been 2 days, and I can see my skin getting better.
Update #2 I use it now as my Show more

#great value
#hydrating
#broke me out
#light
AMess_189's avatar

AMess_189

2 months ago
Review

Despite mixed reviews, I’m super happy I tried this moisturizer. However, what was more impressive is after I woke up, my skin still felt soft, and a lot of the irritation of the few pimples I have went away over night. It made me understand why some people in skincare community call some products their holy grail. Though it may not work for everyone, I recommend you at least try it once.

#great value
#hydrating
#absorbs well
#works well