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First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Cream

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Cream This calming moisturizer is formulated around Colloidal Oatmeal and Squalane to calm redness and hydrate skin. This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niac

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Cream

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Colloidal Oatmeal and Squalane to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Madecassoside to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Colloidal Oatmeal 0.5%

Water

Stearic Acid

Glycerin

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Squalane

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Allantoin

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Ceramide NP

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Colloidal Oatmeal 0.5%, Water, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Niacinamide

Vinyldimethicone

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Diisostearyl Malate

Eryngium Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Cera Alba

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Madecassoside

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Ilex Aquifolium Leaf Extract

Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Achillea Millefolium Oil

Hydroxyacetophenone

Palmitic Acid

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Carbomer

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Tromethamine

Caramel

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

DNA

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Adenosine

Sorbitan Isostearate

Asiaticoside

Disodium EDTA

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Hedera Helix Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Trideceth-10

Panthenol

Amber Powder

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Calcium Chloride

Magnesium Sulfate

Asiatic Acid

Madecassic Acid

Centella Asiatica Extract

Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Niacinamide, Vinyldimethicone, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diisostearyl Malate, Eryngium Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Cera Alba, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Madecassoside, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Ilex Aquifolium Leaf Extract, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Achillea Millefolium Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Tromethamine, Caramel, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, DNA, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Asiaticoside, Disodium EDTA, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Trideceth-10, Panthenol, Amber Powder, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract

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.

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

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%.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so 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!

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.

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 Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  4. 04Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  5. 05Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  6. 06Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  7. 07What it does:
  8. 08Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  9. 09Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  10. 10Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
  11. 11This 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.
  12. 12Note: 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.
  13. 13Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  14. 14Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  15. 15Your 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.
  16. 16Aquaporin-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.
  17. 17This 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.
  18. 18Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  19. 19Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  20. 20Glyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
Source · skinsort.com
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Comparison edit

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