Skin science article
Pond's Dry Skin Cream Versus Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24
Pond's Dry Skin Cream Versus Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 This moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum to hydrate skin. This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the lo
Pond's Dry Skin Cream Versus Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24
This moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum to hydrate skin.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Paraffinum Liquidum
Isopropyl Palmitate
Petrolatum
Glycerin
Stearic Acid
Ceresin
Glyceryl Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Sorbitan Oleate
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Triethanolamine
Laureth-23
Parfum
Carbomer
Disodium EDTA
DMDM Hydantoin
Methylparaben
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Ceresin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Triethanolamine, Laureth-23, Parfum, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylparaben, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Isohexadecane
Niacinamide
Dimethicone
Lactic Acid
Isopropyl Isostearate
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Stearyl Alcohol
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Panthenol
Sodium Lactate
Trehalose
Cetearyl Glucoside
Cetearyl Alcohol
Behenyl Alcohol
Palmitic Acid
Dimethiconol
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Benzoate
Ascorbic Acid
Avena Sativa Peptide
Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Lactic Acid, Isopropyl Isostearate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Stearyl Alcohol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Panthenol, Sodium Lactate, Trehalose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Dimethiconol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Ascorbic Acid, Avena Sativa Peptide
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.
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.
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.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
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!