Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Barrier Recovery Cream

Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Barrier Recovery Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Hexapeptide-11 to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkle

Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer Versus Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Barrier Recovery 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 moisturizer is formulated around Allantoin and Ceramide NP 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

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

1,2-Hexanediol

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

Sclerotium Gum

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Behenyl Alcohol

Allantoin

Cellulose Gum

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Sclerotium Gum, Triolein, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Behenyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Dioleate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Phytate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, 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.

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.

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.

Glyceryl Dioleate isn't fungal acne safe.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.

Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.

Triolein isn't 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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  4. 04Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  5. 05Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  6. 06Carbomer 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.
  7. 07Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  8. 08It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  9. 09Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  10. 10A 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.
  11. 11Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
  12. 12You'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.
  13. 13The 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.
  14. 14Most 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.
  15. 15Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.
  16. 16It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.
  17. 17EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
  18. 18What 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).
  19. 19Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.
  20. 20Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.
Source · skinsort.com
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side