What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningCeteareth-25
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenic Acid
CleansingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingAniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil
AstringentParfum
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Extract
MaskingArctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Ceteareth-25, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil, Parfum, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantJojoba Esters
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
CleansingBoswellia Serrata Extract
Skin ConditioningPopulus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSodium Phytate
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBehenic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicElettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
PerfumingJasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Carbonate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCI 75810
Cosmetic ColorantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCananga Odorata Flower Extract
PerfumingCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRose Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantDextran
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingSantalum Album Wood Extract
PerfumingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCeteareth-25
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Persea Gratissima Oil, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Allantoin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Phytate, Cetyl Alcohol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Behenic Acid, Cholesterol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, CI 75810, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rose Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dextran, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Santalum Album Wood Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteareth-25, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenic Acid is a fatty acid and has moisturizing properties.
It is naturally occuring in the Moringa oleifera tree, rapeseed oil, and peanut oil.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Behenic AcidThis ceramide helps condition and moisturize skin.
It is created by reacting caproic acid and phytosphingosine, two fatty acids.
Ceramides work to improve hydration from within. Their lipophilic trait means they are likely to be absorbed into skin but expected to remain in the epidermis (the outer layer of skin).
Learn more about Caprooyl PhytosphingosineWe don't have a description for Caprooyl Sphingosine yet.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APCeramide 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 EOS is a type of Ceramide.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.
Ceramide EOS is a synthetic N-acylated sphingolipid consisting of Sphingosine having the D-erythro structure linked to an esterified omega-hydroxy saturated or unsaturated fatty acid
Learn more about Ceramide EosCeramide 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 NPCeramide NS is formally known as Ceramide 2. It is one of the major ceramides in the stratum corneum (outermost layer of skin) plays a role in forming a protective barrier.
Due to its structure, skin lipids can be packed tightly and in turn, this strengthens the barrier and reduces water loss.
Studies show conditions like atopic dermatitis can worsen when ceramide NS levels are low.
Learn more about Ceramide NsCeteareth-25 comes from Cetearyl Alcohol. (And Cetearyl Alcohol is created from cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol.
This ingredient is a fatty alcohol used as an emulsifier and surfactant. As an emulsifier, it helps oil mix with water.
Like cetearyl alcohol, Ceteareth-25 can help thicken and create a gel-like consistency.
Learn more about Ceteareth-25Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCholesterol 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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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