First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Barriair cream Versus Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Barriair cream Versus Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide Ng and Linoleic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

This moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Propanediol

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polymethyl Methacrylate

Oxygen

Ceramide Ng

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopherol

Colloidal Oatmeal

Caprylyl Glycol

Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract

Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose

Cholesterol

Polyglucuronic Acid

Cetyl Alcohol

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

Stearic Acid

Dipropylene Glycol

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Polypropylene

Polysorbate 80

Steareth-30

Lecithin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Phenoxyethanol

Perfluorohexane

Chlorphenesin

Perfluoromethylcyclopentane

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Oxygen, Ceramide Ng, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Colloidal Oatmeal, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cholesterol, Polyglucuronic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Stearic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polypropylene, Polysorbate 80, Steareth-30, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Perfluorohexane, Chlorphenesin, Perfluoromethylcyclopentane, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Dimethicone

Isododecane

Butylene Glycol

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Saccharomyces Lysate Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seedcake

Caffeine

Trehalose

Tocopheryl Acetate

Polysilicone-11

Silica

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Oleth-10

Lactobacillus Ferment

Laureth-23

Laureth-4

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Carbomer

Hexylene Glycol

Tromethamine

Disodium EDTA

CI 19140

CI 14700

CI 15985

Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycerin, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Caffeine, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysilicone-11, Silica, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Oleth-10, Lactobacillus Ferment, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, CI 14700, CI 15985

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.

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).

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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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