This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Ceramide AP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This calming moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Extract and Panthenol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPolysilicone-11
Butylene Glycol
HumectantDecyl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientSorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Oleate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
CleansingSarcosine
Skin ConditioningPotassium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantUndecane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingHistidine
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTridecane
PerfumingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentTrehalose
HumectantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Squalane, Glycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Sarcosine, Potassium Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Sodium Polyglutamate, Undecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Histidine, Sodium Lactate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Tridecane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Trehalose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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