Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer Versus Allies of Skin Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer Versus Allies of Skin Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm

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

This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

C13-15 Alkane

Cetearyl Alcohol

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

1,2-Hexanediol

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1

Diisostearyl Malate

Xylitylglucoside

Honey Extract

Betaine

Panthenol

Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables

Ceramide NP

Propolis Extract

Royal Jelly Extract

Tocopherol

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil

Glucose

Bisabolol

Xylitol

Anhydroxylitol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Triolein

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Arginine

Aroma

Hydroxyacetophenone

Xanthan Gum

Glyceryl Dioleate

Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine

Sodium Phytate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-15 Alkane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Diisostearyl Malate, Xylitylglucoside, Honey Extract, Betaine, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Ceramide NP, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Tocopherol, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Glucose, Bisabolol, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Triolein, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Arginine, Aroma, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Dioleate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

Squalane

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Nigella Sativa Seed Oil

Isomalt

Acacia Senegal Gum

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Canola Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax

Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters

Ethyl Macadamiate

Niacinamide

Allantoin

Hyaluronic Acid

Lecithin

Hydrolyzed Oat Protein

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters

Adenosine Triphosphate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract

Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract

Phytol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Silica

Dextran

Zea Mays Starch

Sodium Gluconate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glyceryl Stearate

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Sodium Hydroxide

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Salicylic Acid

Malic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Isomalt, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Canola Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Panthenol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Ethyl Macadamiate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Hyaluronic Acid, Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Adenosine Triphosphate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract, Phytol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Dextran, Zea Mays Starch, Sodium Gluconate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Potassium Sorbate, Salicylic Acid, Malic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.

It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.

A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.

In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.

You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.

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 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.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate is a synthetic emollient and "skin-feel" ingredient that spreads well and leaves a non-sticky finish with high gloss.

In makeup, it also doubles as a pigment-wetting agent for better color payoff.

It's a well-vetted ingredient for safety and does not penetrate into skin due to its large molecule size.

Because it's a long-chain fatty acid ester, this ingredient may not be fungal acne or Malassezia safe.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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