Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Linoleic Acid 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

Ceteareth-6 Olivate

Butylene Glycol

C13-15 Alkane

Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate

Decyl Oleate

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil

Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Olive Oil

Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract

Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Oleic Acid

Euterpe Oleracea Sterols

Ceramide EOP

Serine

Alanine

Glycine

Proline

Lysine Hcl

Threonine

Arginine

Squalane

Phytosphingosine

Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract

Lecithin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Lactate

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Adenosine

Phytic Acid

Glutamic Acid

Betaine

Pullulan

PCA

Sodium PCA

Carbomer

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

Sclerotium Gum

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Butylene Glycol, C13-15 Alkane, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Decyl Oleate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Squalane, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lactate, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Adenosine, Phytic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Betaine, Pullulan, PCA, Sodium PCA, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, 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.

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

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!

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