Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Serum For Sensitive Skin Versus CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Serum For Sensitive Skin Versus CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This calming serum is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Flour and Avena Sativa Kernel Oil to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Chlorphenesin

Dimethicone

Succinoglycan

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice

Avena Sativa Kernel Flour

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Dimethiconol

Sodium Hydroxide

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Chlorphenesin, Dimethicone, Succinoglycan, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Panthenol

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Cholesterol

Disodium EDTA

Isopropyl Myristate

Caprylyl Glycol

Citric Acid

Xanthan Gum

Phytosphingosine

Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin 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.

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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