What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingMorinda Citrifolia Callus Culture Lysate
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingDimyristyl Phosphate
CleansingMannitol
HumectantLecithin
EmollientStearamine
Cholesterol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantLauryl Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentOlive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Morinda Citrifolia Callus Culture Lysate, Zinc PCA, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Phosphatidylcholine, Dimyristyl Phosphate, Mannitol, Lecithin, Stearamine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPolysilicone-11
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingPalmitamide Mea
Cholesterol
EmollientMyristic Acid
CleansingHydroxystearic Acid
CleansingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveAvenanthramides
AntioxidantHydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLactic Acid
BufferingPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Decyl Glucoside, Polysilicone-11, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Bisabolol, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Palmitamide Mea, Cholesterol, Myristic Acid, Hydroxystearic Acid, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Avenanthramides, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Laureth-7, Potassium Sorbate
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 AlcoholCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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