What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantAnnona Cherimola Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Sesquiisostearate
EmulsifyingGalactosyl Salicylate
AntiseborrhoeicAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPhenylpropanol
MaskingSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropanediol
SolventPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientPCA
HumectantBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHaberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMethylpropanediol
Solvent4-Terpineol
MaskingSalicylic Acid
MaskingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentZinc PCA
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCaprylyl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
EmulsifyingSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantWater, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Saccharide Isomerate, Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Galactosyl Salicylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Phenylpropanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Ceramide NP, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Myristyl Alcohol, PCA, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Glycerin, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Faex Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylpropanediol, 4-Terpineol, Salicylic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Zinc PCA, Xanthan Gum, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Caprylyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingDiglycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingMethylpropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningStephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCnidium Monnieri Fruit Extract
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSpirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Diglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Methylpropanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glucose, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Cnidium Monnieri Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Chlorphenesin, Hexylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide 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 NPDiglycerin is a humectant. It is derived from glycerin, which is naturally found in your skin.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture to the skin from the air.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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