Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream Versus Dieux Skin Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream

Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream Versus Dieux Skin Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moisturi

Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream Versus Dieux Skin Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Squalane

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Behenyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea

Stearic Acid

Betaine

Mannitol

C14-22 Alcohols

Palmitic Acid

Hydroxypropyl Bislauramide Mea

Arachidyl Alcohol

Cholesterol

Polyacrylate-13

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

Allantoin

Arachidyl Glucoside

Niacinamide

Ceramide NP

Glyceryl Caprylate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Dimethiconol

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer

Sorbitan Isostearate

Silica

Phytosphingosine

Sphingolipids

Arachidic Acid

Tocopherol

Oleic Acid

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Squalane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Stearic Acid, Betaine, Mannitol, C14-22 Alcohols, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Bislauramide Mea, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Polyacrylate-13, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Allantoin, Arachidyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Dimethiconol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Silica, Phytosphingosine, Sphingolipids, Arachidic Acid, Tocopherol, Oleic Acid

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Methylpropanediol

Cetyl Alcohol

Meadowfoam Estolide

Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline

Tribehenin

Sodium PCA

Urea

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Collagen Amino Acids

Propanediol

Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract

Trehalose

Linoleic Acid

Phytosterols

Phospholipids

Polysorbate 60

Ceramide Ng

Hexylene Glycol

PEG-10 Phytosterol

Polyquaternium-51

Triacetin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Sodium Hydroxide

Lactic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methylpropanediol, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Meadowfoam Estolide, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Tribehenin, Sodium PCA, Urea, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Collagen Amino Acids, Propanediol, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Trehalose, Linoleic Acid, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Palmitic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceramide Ng, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Polyquaternium-51, Triacetin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Glycerin (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.

Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.

In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.

Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.

The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.

In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Water. 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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Glycerin
  3. 03Dimethicone
  4. 04Dimethicone Crosspolymer
  5. 05C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
  6. 06Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
  7. 07Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
  8. 08Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  9. 09Methylpropanediol
  10. 10Squalane
  11. 11Cetyl Alcohol
  12. 12Meadowfoam Estolide
  13. 13Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
  14. 14Tribehenin
  15. 15Sodium PCA
  16. 16Urea
  17. 17Carbomer
  18. 18Phenoxyethanol
  19. 19Caprylyl Glycol
  20. 20Collagen Amino Acids
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side