What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Arginine
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Arginine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxystearic Acid, Betaine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Adenosine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Polyacrylate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Phytate, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Lactobacillus Ferment, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Phytosphingosine, Asiatic Acid, Sucrose Distearate, Polyglutamic Acid, Lauric Acid, Phytosterols
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Incarnata Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Panthenol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Citric Acid, Phytosphingosine, Tribehenin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Behenic Acid, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCeramide 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 NPCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 PanthenolPhytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin as a building block for ceramides.. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.
Phytosphingosine contributes to your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.
Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.
Fun fact: Phytosphingosine is abundant in plants and fungi.
More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:
Learn more about PhytosphingosineStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
