e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Face Cream Versus The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer

e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Face Cream Versus The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Isohexadecane

Stearyl Heptanoate

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Isopropyl Isostearate

Niacinamide

Cetearyl Olivate

Trehalose

Squalane

Dimethicone

Stearic Acid

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Silica

Sodium Hyaluronate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Panthenol

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Polyethylene

Disodium EDTA

Polyacrylate-13

Polyisobutene

Polysorbate 20

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Carbomer

Water, Isohexadecane, Stearyl Heptanoate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Trehalose, Squalane, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Panthenol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyethylene, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Propanediol

Polysilicone-11

C10-18 Triglycerides

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Ceramide NP

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Laureth-12

Sorbitan Isostearate

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Citric Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polysilicone-11, C10-18 Triglycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide NP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

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.

Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.

You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.

These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.

This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.

Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.

Polyacrylate-13 creates a film to protect the skin. It is also used to thicken and stabilize a product. It works by making water a gel-like consistency. This gel consistency helps suspend particles.

Polyacrylate-13 is a copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide, sodium acrylate, sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate monomers

Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone used as a film forming agent.

When applied to the skin, this ingredient creates an invisible film on the surface. This film still allows oxygen to pass through, but prevents moisture from escaping. This can help condition and hydrate the skin. It also leaves a silky feel when applied.

Polymethylsilsesquioxane has not been shown to clog pores. It has been deemed safe to use up to 55%, but most cosmetics use much less.

If you have concerns about using this ingredient, we recommend speaking with a professional.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.

Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.

Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, 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!

Similar Comparisons