This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Polyquaternium-51 to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium DNA and Oryza Sativa Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientIsostearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingStearyl Dimethicone
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol Cocoate
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylcellulose
Polyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantGlucose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isostearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylcellulose, Polyquaternium-51, Adenosine, Palmitic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Glucose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium DNA
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventIsostearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol Cocoate
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthylcellulose
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant2,3-Butanediol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCholesterol
EmollientCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium DNA, Oryza Sativa Extract, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Isostearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, 2,3-Butanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cholesterol, CI 17200, CI 42090
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolButylene Glycol Cocoate isn't fungal acne safe. It can be bad for dry skin.
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 NPDisodium 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 EDTAWe don't have a description for Ethylcellulose yet.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinIsostearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol. It's made by hydrogenating isostearic acid from plant oils (usually coconut or soybean)
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not the same as solvent alcohols like alcohol denatured.
It has three roles in skincare:
Clinical patch testing found 25% of Isostearyl Alcohol in petrolatum showed only mild irritation in a small minority (your product will not have nearly as high of an amount).
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it sits in the C11-C24 range that feeds the Malassezia yeast.
One last thing, the FDA allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Isostearyl AlcoholPanthenol 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 PanthenolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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