Minimalist B12 + Repair Complex 5.5% Face Moisturizer Versus Simple Skincare Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ag
HumectantCholesterol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningSucrose Distearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Betaine, Allantoin, Cyanocobalamin, Ceramide NP, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ag, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Ceramide EOP, Sucrose Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientPantolactone
HumectantBisabolol
AntioxidantSodium Lactate
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingSerine
MaskingUrea
BufferingSorbitol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Methylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
Preservative2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Pantolactone, Bisabolol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Serine, Urea, Sorbitol, Allantoin, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide
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 AllantoinCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene 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