This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Citronellyl Acetate
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthyl Linalool
Masking
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingIsobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol
MaskingOxacyclohexadecenone
Masking
Hexyl Salicylate
Masking
Tetrahydrolinalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, P-Anisic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Citronellyl Acetate, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethyl Linalool, Ethylene Brassylate, Isobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol, Oxacyclohexadecenone, Hexyl Salicylate, Tetrahydrolinalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventGlycine
Buffering
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium PCA
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Alanine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
ChelatingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Benzoic Acid
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Isopropyl Palmitate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, C15-19 Alkane, Glycine, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sorbitan Tristearate, Sorbitan Oleate, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Isohexadecane, Sodium PCA, Serine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Palmitic Acid, Alanine, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phytosphingosine, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 80, Benzoic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateIsopropyl Palmitate is a lightweight emollient made by combining isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
It is an emollient that leaves skin feeling smooth and silky without leaving a greasy feel.
Typical usage concentrations range from 1-5%.
Human testing shows it's non-irritating and non-sensitizing, and the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has cleared it at very high levels (79% in leave-on products).
The one thing worth knowing about its comedogenic score of 3-4 is to keep it in perspective: these ratings come from old rabbit-ear tests using 100% of pure ingredient and doesn't reflect how it behaves at low levels in a finished product.
Because it is an ester of palmitic acid (C16), it falls into the range that the Malassezia yeast can feed on and is considered not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
This ingredient does have a comedogenic rating of 2-3, but this doesn't mean a formula with this ingredient will clog pores.
Human testing has proved that any finished product with this ingredient won't automatically make you break out; it really comes down to concentration, formula, and your skin.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
