What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Myristate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Seed Extract
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycol
HumectantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Myristyl Myristate, Squalane, Glycerin, C12-16 Alcohols, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPolysilicone-11
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingPalmitamide Mea
Cholesterol
EmollientMyristic Acid
CleansingHydroxystearic Acid
CleansingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveAvenanthramides
AntioxidantHydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLactic Acid
BufferingPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Decyl Glucoside, Polysilicone-11, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Bisabolol, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Palmitamide Mea, Cholesterol, Myristic Acid, Hydroxystearic Acid, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Avenanthramides, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Laureth-7, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinBehenyl 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 AlcoholC13-14 Isoparaffin is a synthetic emollient, solvent, and thickening agent. It helps soften skin and improves spreadability without leaving a greasy residue.
This ingredient has been found to be non-sensitizing and safe for use in cosmetics.
Two things floating around online that cause fear-mongering:
There's one scary-sounding study related to kidney tumors in male rats; this depends on a protein called alpha-2u-globulin that binds the ingredient and clogs up kidney cells. Female rats barely make this protein, and humans don't make it at all so this effect cannot happen to us. Regulatory bodies have states this rat-only pathway shouldn't be used to judge human risk.
The other thing you'll see is 1,4-dioxane being a trace byproduct that can form during manufacturing of petroleum-derived ingredients. This is a real, but heavily managed/monitored issue. This byproduct is removed through purification steps before the ingredients goes into the formula. Regulatory bodies also actively monitor residual levels for safety.
One last thing to note: this ingredient is a pure hydrocarbon with no fatty-acid or ester chains for Malassezia to feed on, so it's considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about C13-14 IsoparaffinCeramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.
It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.
EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).
Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.
Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.
In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.
You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.
Learn more about Ceramide EOPCeramide 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 CholesterolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLaureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
This ingredient is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPolyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.
It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.
We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about PolyacrylamideWater. 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