What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTriolein
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Dioleate
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Sclerotium Gum, Triolein, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Behenyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Dioleate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Phytate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Panthenol, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosphingosine, Behenic Acid, Cholesterol, Sodium Levulinate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Triethyl Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide 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 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
