This fragrance-free facial moisturizer is a barrier-restoring powerhouse that pairs a deeply hydrating Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF) blend with essential lipids and ceramides to repair and lock in skin moisture.
This formulation scores an outstanding 9.2/10 for performance due to its rich blend of skin-identical ingredients and Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs). Humectants like Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Urea, and Sodium PCA work alongside a comprehensive profile of amino acids (Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine HCl, and Glutamic Acid) to deeply hydrate the skin. Skin barrier replenishment is highly effective thanks to Ceramide NP, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Stearic Acid, and Palmitic Acid, which mimic the natural lipid bilayer. Additionally, Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate provide excellent emolliency and texture. A minor deduction is made because Isopropyl Palmitate is known to be comedogenic, which may not perform as well for acne-prone skin types.
The product achieves an excellent 9.3/10 for safety because it completely avoids high-hazard ingredients, synthetic fragrances, drying alcohols, and essential oils, making it highly suitable for sensitive skin. It utilizes gentle preservatives and stabilizers like 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, and Tropolone instead of parabens or harsh formaldehyde-releasing agents. Skin-soothing Allantoin helps counteract any potential irritation. The slight safety deduction is due to the presence of Sodium Hydroxide, which is used as a pH adjuster and is safe in finished formulations but can be a strong irritant in its raw state, as well as Isopropyl Palmitate which carries a moderate risk for clogging pores and causing acne breakouts.
With a final rating of 9.2/10, this moisturizer is an exceptional, clinically-minded formula designed to restore the skin’s moisture barrier and lock in hydration. The synergy between barrier-repairing lipids (Ceramide NP and Cholesterol) and natural humectants delivers top-tier performance, while the fragrance-free, minimally preserved base ensures outstanding skin tolerance. It is highly recommended for dry, compromised, or sensitive skin types, with the only caveat being the inclusion of Isopropyl Palmitate, which may cause congestion in individuals highly prone to acne.
This facial moisturizer is an exceptionally well-formulated, modern hydration cream that excels at restoring and protecting the skin’s delicate moisture barrier. The formulation heavily emphasizes biomimetic ingredients—meaning ingredients that naturally occur within the skin’s layers. By replenishing these components, the cream actively helps the skin retain moisture naturally without relying solely on heavy, occlusive layers. At the core of this formula is a sophisticated cocktail of Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs). It features an impressive array of amino acids (including Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine HCl, and Glutamic Acid) along with Urea, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, and various sugars like Trehalose, Maltose, and Glucose. These hydrophilic molecules act like tiny magnets, drawing moisture deep into the skin’s surface to provide intensive, long-lasting hydration. This is further boosted by Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycerin, which work synergistically to plump the skin and alleviate dehydration lines. To seal this vital hydration in, the moisturizer is enriched with a robust lipid complex. The inclusion of Ceramide NP, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Stearic Acid, and Palmitic Acid mimics the skin’s natural lipid bilayer. This combination is highly effective at patching up a compromised skin barrier, making it an excellent post-treatment option or a soothing daily cream for raw, windburned, or dry winter skin. Allantoin adds another layer of benefit, soothing redness and promoting skin healing. Additionally, this moisturizer is completely fragrance-free, dye-free, and free of drying denatured alcohols, making it incredibly gentle and compatible with highly sensitive skin types. The texture uses olive-derived emulsifiers like Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate, giving it a luxurious, melting consistency that absorbs beautifully with a silky finish, thanks to a touch of Dimethicone. However, there is one important caveat: the presence of Isopropyl Palmitate high up on the ingredient list. Isopropyl palmitate is a highly effective emollient, but it is also known to be moderately to highly comedogenic. While the overall formulation is lightweight and designed to be non-greasy, individuals who are extremely prone to clogged pores, blackheads, or hormonal acne should approach this product with caution, as it may trigger breakouts. Aside from this minor drawback for acne-prone individuals, this is an outstanding, science-backed formula that offers high-tier barrier repair at an accessible level.
🧪 Water / 水
Purpose: Solvent and base of the formulation.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Essential for hydrating the skin and dissolving water-soluble ingredients.
🧪 Glycerin / 甘油
Purpose: Humectant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A classic, highly effective ingredient that draws moisture into the skin.
🧪 Sodium Hyaluronate / 透明质酸钠
Purpose: Humectant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A salt form of hyaluronic acid that holds up to 1000 times its weight in water, helping to plump the skin.
🧪 Serine / 丝氨酸
Purpose: Amino acid / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Part of the Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF) that help maintain skin hydration and barrier function.
🧪 Glycine / 甘氨酸
Purpose: Amino acid / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: An essential building block of collagen and part of the skin’s NMF.
🧪 Alanine / 丙氨酸
Purpose: Amino acid / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Works in synergy with other amino acids to hydrate and support skin repair.
🧪 Threonine / 苏氨酸
Purpose: Amino acid / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: An amino acid that supports the structure of the skin proteins.
🧪 Arginine / 精氨酸
Purpose: Amino acid / Antioxidant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: An amino acid that aids in wound healing, cellular repair, and hydration.
🧪 Proline / 脯氨酸
Purpose: Amino acid / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Helps improve skin elasticity and collagen synthesis.
🧪 Lysine HCl / 赖氨酸 HCl
Purpose: Amino acid / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Supports skin tissue repair and hydration.
🧪 Glutamic Acid / 谷氨酸
Purpose: Amino acid / Humectant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Maintains skin moisture balance and supports skin barrier health.
🧪 Sodium PCA / 吡咯烷酮羧酸钠
Purpose: Humectant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A highly effective natural humectant that increases skin hydration.
🧪 PCA / 吡咯烷酮羧酸
Purpose: Humectant / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Stands for Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid, a key component of skin’s natural moisturizing factors.
🧪 Sodium Lactate / 乳酸钠
Purpose: Humectant / Buffering agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A sodium salt of lactic acid that provides excellent moisturizing properties.
🧪 Urea / 尿素
Purpose: Humectant / Mild keratolytic.
Concerns: Can cause mild stinging on broken or extremely sensitive skin.
Notes: Highly effective for dry skin as it attracts water and gently dissolves dead skin cells.
🧪 Betaine / 甜菜碱
Purpose: Humectant / Anti-irritant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Helps manage skin water balance and reduces potential irritation from other ingredients.
🧪 Fructose / 果糖
Purpose: Humectant / Sugar.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A water-binding sugar that helps retain skin moisture.
🧪 Maltose / 麦芽糖
Purpose: Humectant / Sugar.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A plant-derived sugar used for its skin-conditioning and hydrating properties.
🧪 Trehalose / 海藻糖
Purpose: Humectant / Antioxidant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A sugar that protects skin cells from dehydration and environmental stress.
🧪 Glucose / 葡萄糖
Purpose: Humectant / Sugar.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A simple sugar that binds water to keep the skin hydrated.
🧪 Pentylene Glycol / 戊二醇
Purpose: Humectant / Solvent / Preservative booster.
Concerns: Low risk of contact allergy for highly sensitive skin.
Notes: Improves skin feel, retains moisture, and enhances formula preservation.
🧪 Isopropyl Palmitate / 异丙基棕榈酸酯
Purpose: Emollient / Texture enhancer.
Concerns: Highly comedogenic; may clog pores and trigger acne in acne-prone skin.
Notes: Provides a smooth, silky feel to the product but should be avoided by individuals prone to breakouts.
🧪 Cetyl Alcohol / 鲸蜡醇
Purpose: Emollient / Viscosity controller / Fatty alcohol.
Concerns: None (non-irritating, unlike simple drying alcohols like ethanol).
Notes: A fatty alcohol that softens the skin and helps stabilize the emulsion.
🧪 C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters / C10-30 胆甾醇/羊毛甾醇酯
Purpose: Emollient / Skin-repairing agent.
Concerns: Derived from wool grease (lanolin), which can rarely trigger allergies in lanolin-sensitive individuals.
Notes: A complex mixture of lipids that mimics skin barrier lipids, excellent for dry and compromised skin.
🧪 Ceramide NP / 神经酰胺 NP
Purpose: Skin-identical ingredient / Barrier repair.
Concerns: None.
Notes: An essential lipid naturally found in the skin’s outer layer, helping to prevent moisture loss and repair the barrier.
🧪 Stearic Acid / 硬脂酸
Purpose: Emollient / Emulsifier / Fatty acid.
Concerns: Can be slightly comedogenic for some acne-prone individuals.
Notes: A fatty acid that helps protect the skin’s barrier and gives a rich texture to the cream.
🧪 Palmitic Acid / 棕榈酸
Purpose: Emollient / Fatty acid.
Concerns: Can be slightly comedogenic.
Notes: A natural fatty acid that softens the skin and acts as an emulsifier.
🧪 Dimethicone / 聚二甲基硅氧烷
Purpose: Silicone emollient / Skin protectant.
Concerns: Some individuals prefer silicone-free products, but it is medically safe and non-comedogenic.
Notes: Creates a protective breathable barrier to prevent trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and gives a smooth slip.
🧪 Cetearyl Olivate / 鲸蜡硬脂醇橄榄油酸酯
Purpose: Emulsifier.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Often derived from olive oil; helps combine water and oil phases while providing moisturizing benefits.
🧪 Sorbitan Olivate / 山梨坦橄榄油酸酯
Purpose: Emulsifier.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Works in tandem with Cetearyl Olivate (commonly known as Olivem 1000) to create stable, skin-friendly emulsions.
🧪 Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 / 聚丙烯酸酯交联聚合物-6
Purpose: Viscosity controller / Emulsion stabilizer.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Creates a pleasant gel-cream texture and stabilizes the formulation without a sticky feel.
🧪 Sodium Chloride / 氯化钠
Purpose: Viscosity controller / Thickening agent.
Concerns: None in topical cosmetic formulations.
Notes: Commonly known as table salt; used here to thicken the water phase of emulsions.
🧪 Allantoin / 尿囊素
Purpose: Skin-soothing / Anti-irritant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: Highly effective soothing agent that promotes wound healing and skin cell regeneration.
🧪 Citric Acid / 柠檬酸
Purpose: pH adjuster / Chelating agent.
Concerns: Can be irritating in high concentrations, but safe when used strictly as a pH adjuster.
Notes: An Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) used here in tiny quantities to optimize the product’s pH to match the skin.
🧪 Sodium Hydroxide / 氢氧化钠
Purpose: pH adjuster.
Concerns: Highly alkaline in raw form, but completely safe and neutralized in finished cosmetic formulations.
Notes: Used to balance the pH of acidic ingredients to ensure the product is gentle on the skin.
🧪 Ethylhexylglycerin / 乙基己基甘油
Purpose: Preservative booster / Weak emollient.
Concerns: Low risk of contact allergy.
Notes: Improves the preservative efficacy of other ingredients and leaves a soft feel on the skin.
🧪 Caprylyl Glycol / 辛甘醇
Purpose: Preservative booster / Humectant.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A multifunctional ingredient that hydrates the skin while helping to preserve the formula.
🧪 1,2-Hexanediol / 1,2-己二醇
Purpose: Solvent / Preservative booster.
Concerns: None.
Notes: An organic compound that acts as a solvent, humectant, and antimicrobial helper.
🧪 Tropolone / 托酚酮
Purpose: Preservative / Skin-conditioning agent.
Concerns: None.
Notes: A synthetic or plant-derived compound used as an antimicrobial agent to prevent product spoilage.