This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium PCA and Saccharide Isomerate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and balance excess oil.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLinoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingBHT
Antioxidant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Chloride
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Sodium PCA, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Betaine
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingOleic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
