What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Isopropyl Myristate, Ceramide NP, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Ectoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sucrose Distearate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ellagic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingMannitol
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
BHA
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ellagic Acid, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Retinol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Phosphatidylcholine, Mannitol, Lecithin, Cholesterol, BHA, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Decyl Glucoside, BHT, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cholesterol 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 CholesterolCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
