Skin science article
Flora & Noor Rose Renewal Tri-Peptide and Ceramide Moisturizer Versus Derma E Vitamin C Moisturizer
Flora & Noor Rose Renewal Tri-Peptide and Ceramide Moisturizer Versus Derma E Vitamin C Moisturizer This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Tripeptide-29 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier. T
Flora & Noor Rose Renewal Tri-Peptide and Ceramide Moisturizer Versus Derma E Vitamin C Moisturizer
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Tripeptide-29 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Rosa Canina Fruit Oil to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Glycerin
Stearic Acid
Glyceryl Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Stearyl Alcohol
Phenoxyethanol
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Sodium Carbomer
Tripeptide-29
Ethylhexylglycerin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Xanthan Gum
Ceramide NP
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Tea-Stearate
Sucrose Stearate
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Carbomer, Tripeptide-29, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Tea-Stearate, Sucrose Stearate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Pseudozyma Epicola/Nitrosomonas Europaea/Oil Ferment Filtrate
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Enterococcus Faecium/Saururus Chinensis Extract Ferment Filtrate
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Vitis Vinifera Oil
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Retinyl Palmitate
Panthenol
Allantoin
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Potassium Sorbate
Parfum
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Pseudozyma Epicola/Nitrosomonas Europaea/Oil Ferment Filtrate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Enterococcus Faecium/Saururus Chinensis Extract Ferment Filtrate, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
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.