What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ag
HumectantCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantLactobionic Acid
BufferingPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Squalane, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ag, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide EOP, Madecassoside, Lactobionic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Phytosterols, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
EmollientLanolin
EmollientGlucose
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
EmollientPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningEuphorbia Cerifera Wax
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingSqualene
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSorbityl Laurate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Propanediol, Sorbitan Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Lanolin, Glucose, Ceramide NP, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Allantoin, Vegetable Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tocopherol, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta-Carotene, Glycine Soja Oil, Dimethicone, Sorbityl Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate
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 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum