Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb Versus Dieux Skin Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream

Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb Versus Dieux Skin Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Extract and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract to calm redness 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

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycerin

Methyl Trimethicone

Alcohol Denat.

Dimethicone

Cyclopentasiloxane

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Nepeta Cataria Extract

Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract

Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract

Stellaria Media Extract

Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract

Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract

Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Niacinamide

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Panthenol

PEG-150

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Phenyl Trimethicone

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Squalane

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Dimethiconol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

C14-22 Alcohols

Polysorbate 60

Butylene Glycol

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Malachite Extract

Triethylhexanoin

Trisodium EDTA

Arachidyl Glucoside

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Sorbitan Isostearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Stearic Acid

Ceramide NP

Cholesterol

PEG-100 Stearate

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citral

Citronellol

Limonene

Geraniol

Linalool

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Nepeta Cataria Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract, Stellaria Media Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Panthenol, PEG-150, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Squalane, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Polysorbate 60, Butylene Glycol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Malachite Extract, Triethylhexanoin, Trisodium EDTA, Arachidyl Glucoside, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, PEG-100 Stearate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract

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

Palmitic Acid

Ceramide Ng

Hexylene Glycol

PEG-10 Phytosterol

Polyquaternium-51

Triacetin

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.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

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%.

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.

This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.

Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

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.

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!

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