First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Night Cream Versus Tatcha The Silk Cream

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Night Cream Versus Tatcha The Silk Cream

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Dimethicone

Glyceryl Stearate

C10-18 Triglycerides

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Lactobacillus Ferment

Jojoba Esters

Cetyl Alcohol

Niacinamide

Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera

Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera

Algae Extract

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Sodium Hyaluronate

Avena Sativa Kernel Flour

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Sodium Lactate

Butylene Glycol

PEG-75 Stearate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Ceteth-20

Steareth-20

Polyglycerin-3

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Phenoxyethanol

Xanthan Gum

Tetrasodium EDTA

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Algae Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Sodium Hyaluronate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Lactate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-75 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Polyglycerin-3, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate

Propanediol

Squalane

Isononyl Isononanoate

Inositol

Stearic Acid

Sorbitan Stearate

Behenyl Alcohol

Parfum

Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract

Sericin

Hydrolyzed Silk

Rosa Damascena Flower Extract

Oryza Sativa Germ Oil

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Royal Jelly Extract

Thymus Serpyllum Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate

Batyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Arginine

Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Tocopherol

Alcohol

Citral

Limonene

Linalool

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Squalane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Inositol, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Sericin, Hydrolyzed Silk, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Batyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Citral, Limonene, Linalool

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.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

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%.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

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!

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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