What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Carbomer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantBetaine
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentMyristyl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglycerin-3
HumectantC13-16 Isoalkane
SolventHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientVinyldimethicone
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Rice Bran Oil
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Allantoin, Glucose, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosterols, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Myristyl Glucoside, Polyglycerin-3, C13-16 Isoalkane, Heptyl Undecylenate, Vinyldimethicone, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Arachidyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Rice Bran Oil, Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Ā
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesĀ
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that 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. Just 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 ingredientās final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPanthenol 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 PanthenolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium 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