Skin science article
ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream Versus Elizavecca Milky Piggy EGF Elastic Retinol Cream
ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream Versus Elizavecca Milky Piggy EGF Elastic Retinol Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea and Panax Ginseng Root Water to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream Versus Elizavecca Milky Piggy EGF Elastic Retinol Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea and Panax Ginseng Root Water to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
Stearic Acid
Behenyl Alcohol
Palmitic Acid
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
1,2-Hexanediol
Arachidyl Alcohol
C14-22 Alcohols
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Polyacrylate-13
Arachidyl Glucoside
Mannitol
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Polyisobutene
Glyceryl Caprylate
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Ethylhexylglycerin
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
Sorbitan Isostearate
Carbomer
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Myristic Acid
Arachidic Acid
Cholesterol
Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Glucose
Silica
Glycine Max Oil
Ceramide NP
Phytosphingosine
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Tocopherol
Canola Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, C14-22 Alcohols, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Polyacrylate-13, Arachidyl Glucoside, Mannitol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Caprylate, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Cholesterol, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Glucose, Silica, Glycine Max Oil, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Swiftlet Nest Extract
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Beeswax
Cetyl Alcohol
Polysorbate 60
Dipropylene Glycol
Retinol
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Sodium Polyacrylate
Allantoin
PEG-100 Stearate
Adenosine
Betaine
Propylene Glycol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Arginine
Alcohol
Ceteth-3
Brassica Campestris Sterols
Tocopheryl Acetate
Cetyl Phosphate
PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Ceteth-5
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate
Parfum
Swiftlet Nest Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Dipropylene Glycol, Retinol, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, PEG-100 Stearate, Adenosine, Carbomer, Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 20, Arginine, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ceteth-3, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetyl Phosphate, Cholesterol, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Water, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ceteth-5, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum
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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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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.
Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
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.
Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it 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!