Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Celimax Dual Barrier Creamy Toner

Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Celimax Dual Barrier Creamy Toner

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Hexapeptide-11 to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Panthenol and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Propanediol

Isopropyl Myristate

Ethylhexyl Olivate

Squalane

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Ceramide NP

Ceramide As

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide AP

Hexapeptide-11

Matrixyl 3000

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Triolein

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Glyceryl Oleate

Undecane

Hydroxyacetophenone

Glyceryl Dioleate

Caprylyl Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Tridecane

Betaine

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Citric Acid

Sodium Phytate

Sodium PCA

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Lactate

PCA

Sodium Benzoate

Serine

Alanine

Palmitic Acid

Glycine

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Butylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glutamic Acid

Lysine Hcl

Threonine

Arginine

Proline

Tocopherol

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Isopropyl Myristate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Squalane, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Hexapeptide-11, Matrixyl 3000, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Triolein, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Oleate, Undecane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Dioleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Tridecane, Betaine, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Sodium Benzoate, Serine, Alanine, Palmitic Acid, Glycine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycereth-26

1,2-Hexanediol

Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters

Panthenol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Styrene/Vp Copolymer

Phenyl Trimethicone

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Allantoin

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12

Sorbic Acid

Glyceryl Stearate

Phytosphingosine

2,3-Butanediol

Cholesterol

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Sorbic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide NP, 2,3-Butanediol, Tocopherol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP

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.

Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.

You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.

The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.

Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.

Ceramide AS is formally known as Ceramides 4 and 5.

Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.

Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.

It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.

EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.

What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).

Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.

Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.

In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.

You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

Ceramide NS is formally known as Ceramide 2. It is one of the major ceramides in the stratum corneum (outermost layer of skin) plays a role in forming a protective barrier.

Due to its structure, skin lipids can be packed tightly and in turn, this strengthens the barrier and reduces water loss.

Studies show conditions like atopic dermatitis can worsen when ceramide NS levels are low.

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).

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

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.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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!

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