Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream Versus Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream Versus Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Isopropyl Isostearate

Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Cetearyl Alcohol

Palmitic Acid

Stearic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract

Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil

Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil

Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil

Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Polyglyceryl-6 Ximenia Americana Seedate

Cholesterol

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Ceramide NP

Phytosphingosine

Ceteareth-20

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Tocopherol

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Ximenia Americana Seedate, Cholesterol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Ceteareth-20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Methyl Trimethicone

Alcohol Denat.

Dimethicone

Cyclopentasiloxane

1,2-Hexanediol

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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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