This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Centella Asiatica Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclodextrin
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSchisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSchizophyllan
HumectantMethylene Glycol
AntimicrobialHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Oxalate
ChelatingCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningP-Anisic Acid
MaskingCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Poria Cocos Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Cyclodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Glucose, Schizophyllan, Methylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Oxalate, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, P-Anisic Acid, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
ChelatingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Lactic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Reviews
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePanthenol 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 PanthenolWater. 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