What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Dextran, Tripeptide-1, Oryza Sativa Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-4
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Isopropyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-4, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, 2,3-Butanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, 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 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 AS is formally known as Ceramides 4 and 5.
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 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 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 NsCetyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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
