Skin science article
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Eye Cream
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Eye Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair eye moisturi
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Eye Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Borago Officinalis Seed Oil and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Dipropylene Glycol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Methyl Trimethicone
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
1,2-Hexanediol
Phenyl Trimethicone
Dicaprylyl Ether
Cetearyl Olivate
Panthenol
Glyceryl Stearate
Behenyl Alcohol
Sorbitan Olivate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
2,3-Butanediol
Cetearyl Glucoside
Ceramide NP
Ceramide Ng
Ceramide Ns
Ceramide As
Ceramide AP
Cholesterol
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Palmitic Acid
Stearic Acid
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cellulose Gum
Dextrin
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Citronellol
Tocopherol
CI 19140
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Methyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, 2,3-Butanediol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cellulose Gum, Dextrin, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Citronellol, Tocopherol, CI 19140
Butylene Glycol
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
Cetyl Palmitate
Nylon-12
Propanediol
Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate
Persea Gratissima Oil
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Squalane
Niacinamide
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Ceramide EOP
Sodium Hyaluronate
Morus Alba Root Extract
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Linoleic Acid
Linolenic Acid
Serine
Alanine
Proline
Arginine
Threonine
Phytosphingosine
Phytosterols
Sodium PCA
Glycine
Oleic Acid
Glutamic Acid
Lysine Hcl
Lecithin
Adenosine
Sodium Lactate
Hydrogenated Olive Oil
Euterpe Oleracea Sterols
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Phytic Acid
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract
PCA
Betaine
Pullulan
Carbomer
Sclerotium Gum
Sodium Citrate
Citric Acid
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Silica
Sorbitan Oleate
Xanthan Gum
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Chlorphenesin
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Nylon-12, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Squalane, Niacinamide, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Morus Alba Root Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Serine, Alanine, Proline, Arginine, Threonine, Phytosphingosine, Phytosterols, Sodium PCA, Glycine, Oleic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Lecithin, Adenosine, Sodium Lactate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Phytic Acid, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Glycerin, PCA, Betaine, Pullulan, Carbomer, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin
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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.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
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%.
Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
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 ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare 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!