What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventGlycereth-26
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveCarnosine
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningGallyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPropyl Gallate
AntioxidantEpigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
AntioxidantDaucus Carota Sativa Root Cell Culture Lysate
Skin ConditioningGossypium Herbaceum Callus Culture
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSucrose Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTriethanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Azelaic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Carnosine, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Gallyl Glucoside, Propyl Gallate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Cell Culture Lysate, Gossypium Herbaceum Callus Culture, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sucrose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine Salicylate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientZinc PCA
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Azelaic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Betaine Salicylate, Glycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Niacinamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Squalane, Zinc PCA, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidCeramide 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 NPDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 LecithinWater. 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