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Skin science article

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Daily Face Cream Versus Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Youth Power Creme

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Daily Face Cream Versus Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Youth Power Creme This barrier-repair day moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness. This anti-aging day moi

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Daily Face Cream Versus Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Youth Power Creme

This barrier-repair day moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

This anti-aging day moisturizer is formulated around Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Glycerin

Squalane

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dimethicone

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Ceramide NP

Sodium Hydroxide

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hydroxide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol

Isohexadecane

Butylene Glycol

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract

Hibiscus Sinensis Flower Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Whey Protein

Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract

Acetyl Glucosamine

Tocopheryl Acetate

Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract

Algae Extract

Hypnea Musciformis Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Silybum Marianum Extract

Gelidiella Acerosa Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract

Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract

Caffeine

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Sodium Lactate

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Sorbitol

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Sucrose

Sodium PCA

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Pentylene Glycol

Propylene Carbonate

Polyethylene

Polysilicone-11

PEG-32

PEG-6

Disodium EDTA

Isoceteth-20

Isododecane

Citric Acid

Parfum

BHT

Sodium Citrate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Sodium Benzoate

CI 77491

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Hibiscus Sinensis Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Whey Protein, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Squalane, Algae Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Caffeine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Sodium Lactate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sucrose, Sodium PCA, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Carbonate, Polyethylene, Polysilicone-11, PEG-32, PEG-6, Disodium EDTA, Isoceteth-20, Isododecane, Citric Acid, Parfum, BHT, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491

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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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Glycerin
  3. 03Squalane
  4. 04Dimethicone
  5. 05Phenyl Trimethicone
  6. 06Betaine
  7. 07Niacinamide
  8. 08Pentylene Glycol
  9. 09Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
  10. 10Propanediol
  11. 11Sodium Hyaluronate
  12. 12Ceramide NP
  13. 13Colloidal Oatmeal
  14. 14Tocopherol
  15. 15Sorbitan Isostearate
  16. 16Decyl Glucoside
  17. 17Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
  18. 18Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
  19. 19Caprylyl Glycol
  20. 20Ethylhexylglycerin
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

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First Aid Beauty Cleansing Bar First Aid Beauty Cleansing Bar ingredients explained: Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Aqua, Eau, Glycerin, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Sodi…

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side