Skin science article
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream Versus Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Liquid
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream Versus Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Liquid This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair toner is formulated
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream Versus Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Liquid
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Panthenol and Centella Asiatica Extract to strengthen the skin barrier 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
Alcohol
Betaine
Propanediol
Glycosyl Trehalose
1,2-Hexanediol
Erythritol
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Triethylhexanoin
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Panthenol
Butylene Glycol
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Centella Asiatica Extract
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Pyracantha Fortuneana Fruit Extract
Cellulose Gum
Sucrose Distearate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Methylpropanediol
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
C12-14 Pareth-12
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Dextrin
Glyceryl Stearate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Ceramide As
Ceramide Ns
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Betaine, Propanediol, Glycosyl Trehalose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Erythritol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethylhexanoin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Pyracantha Fortuneana Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Cellulose Gum, Sucrose Distearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylpropanediol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, C12-14 Pareth-12, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Dextrin, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns
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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.
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 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 EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.
It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.
EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).
Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.
Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.
In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.
You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.
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.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
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.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
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!