What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentGlycerin
HumectantCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Niacinamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Lecithin, Glycolipids, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glycerin, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
Bakuchiol
AntimicrobialWater
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingGlycerin
HumectantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBakuchiol, Water, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Coumarin, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexylglycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCeramide 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 NPCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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.
Phytosphingosine 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 PhytosphingosineSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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