Skin science article
Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Multi-intensive Night Cream Versus Estée Lauder Resilience Multi-Effect Night Tri-Peptide Face And Neck Creme
Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Multi-intensive Night Cream Versus Estée Lauder Resilience Multi-Effect Night Tri-Peptide Face And Neck Creme This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin
Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Multi-intensive Night Cream Versus Estée Lauder Resilience Multi-Effect Night Tri-Peptide Face And Neck Creme
This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Glycerin
Squalane
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Behenyl Alcohol
Niacinamide
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
C20-22 Alcohols
Retinal
Sodium Hyaluronate
Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Adenosine
Acacia Senegal Gum
Cetearyl Glucoside
Parfum
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
CI 17200
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium Hydroxide
Tocopherol
Tocopheryl Glucoside
Xanthan Gum
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Retinal, Sodium Hyaluronate, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Adenosine, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, CI 17200, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
Petrolatum
Hexyldecyl Stearate
Butylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Glycereth-26
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Propanediol
Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Persea Gratissima Oil
Whey Protein
Caffeine
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Algae Extract
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Artemia Extract
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Ergothioneine
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Trehalose
Sorbitol
Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Cholesterol
Isohexadecane
Acetyl Glucosamine
Myristyl Myristate
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Caprylyl Glycol
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Linoleic Acid
Polysorbate 80
Faex Extract
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
Zinc PCA
Helianthus Annuus Seedcake
Hexylene Glycol
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Myristyl Alcohol
Tromethamine
Stearic Acid
Potassium Sulfate
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Citric Acid
Maltodextrin
Aluminum Hydroxide
Potassium Sorbate
Dextran
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Phenoxyethanol
CI 42090
CI 77891
Water, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Petrolatum, Hexyldecyl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycereth-26, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Whey Protein, Caffeine, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Algae Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Artemia Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Ergothioneine, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Trehalose, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Cholesterol, Isohexadecane, Acetyl Glucosamine, Myristyl Myristate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Linoleic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Faex Extract, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Zinc PCA, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Hexylene Glycol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Myristyl Alcohol, Tromethamine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Sulfate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Dextran, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, CI 42090, CI 17200, CI 77891
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Cetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
CI 17200 is a synthetic, water-soluble, reddish-pink dye. It is used purely as a cosmetic colorant.
In the US, the FDA permits this ingredient in cosmetics but it is not approved for use around the eyes while the EU allows this to be used in all cosmetic products.
The FDA requires batch-to-batch certification for this ingredient that is held to a pretty rigorous standard. That means the CI 17200 in your cosmetics has been tested and approved before it ever reaches you.
Contact allergy to cosmetic-grade dyes used at low concentrations are uncommon but has been documented before.
This ingredient also goes by the name D&C RED NO. 33.
CI 17200 has a comedogenic rating of 1 and an irritancy rating of 2 on a scale of 0-5. This is based on peer-reviewed research from the man who invented the comedogenic scale.
A 1 on the comedogenic scale is about as low as it gets without being a flat zero, and makes sense for CI 17200.
It's a water-soluble dye used at very small concentrations (typically 0.001-0.1%), so it dissolves into the water phase of a formula rather than sitting on your skin the way an oil or wax would.
The irritancy rating of 2 reflects that, like most synthetic dyes, there's a small possibility of mild irritation ( particularly for people with existing dye sensitivities).
For the vast majority of people, it's a non-issue at typical use levels.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Just so you know, the FDA ban on Red Dye No. 3 refers to CI 45430, not this ingredient. CI 45430 and CI 17200 are different chemical compounds with distinct safety and regulatory histories.
It's also worth noting that Red No. 3 (CI 45430) was already banned from cosmetics back in 1990, so the 2025 action just extended the ban to food and oral drugs. CI 17200 was never part of any of this.
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.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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!