What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Propanediol
Solvent
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Dihydroxypropyl Arginine Hcl
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
PEG-9 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Tridecane
Perfuming
Undecane
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-21
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Surfactin
CleansingPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glucosylrutin
Antioxidant
Polyester-7
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentIsoquercitrin
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract
UV FilterPhenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Propanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sorbitan Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dihydroxypropyl Arginine Hcl, Hydrogenated Lecithin, PEG-9 Dimethicone, Cetearyl Methicone, Tridecane, Undecane, Caprylyl Methicone, Steareth-21, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Surfactin, Phytosterols, Sucrose Cocoate, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc PCA, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ectoin, Glycerin, Glucosylrutin, Polyester-7, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Zea Mays Starch, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isoquercitrin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Salicylic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactic Acid, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydrated Silica, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Glucose, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
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 NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene 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 GlycolWater. 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
