This barrier-repair essence 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
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydrogenated Rice Bran Oil
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTromethamine
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Myristyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Trimetaphosphate
BufferingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydrogenated Rice Bran Oil, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Mannitol, Polyglycerin-3, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tromethamine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Metaphosphate, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Phytosterols, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Oleate, Lecithin, Lauryl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Myristyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Trimetaphosphate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Triacetin
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Diazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Reviews
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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
