Skin science article
Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Prequel Reactive Skin Solutions 5% Ectoin Cream
Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Prequel Reactive Skin Solutions 5% Ectoin Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Hexapeptide-11 to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles
Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Prequel Reactive Skin Solutions 5% Ectoin Cream
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 treatment is formulated around Ectoin and Urea to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.
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
Cetearyl Alcohol
Ectoin
Urea
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Pentylene Glycol
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Triacetin
Panthenol
Lecithin
Allantoin
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cetearyl Glucoside
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ectoin, Urea, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Triacetin, Panthenol, Lecithin, Allantoin, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Lactate, Ethylhexylglycerin
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.
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.
Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
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.