SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 Versus First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Barriair cream

SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 Versus First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Barriair cream

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

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide Ng and Linoleic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Glycerin

Cholesterol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Ceramide NP

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Sodium Polyacrylate

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Nylon-12

Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer

Phenoxyethanol

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Chlorphenesin

Caprylyl Glycol

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Propylene Carbonate

Disodium EDTA

Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer

Adenosine

Dipropylene Glycol

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

T-Butyl Alcohol

Mentha Piperita Oil

Sodium Citrate

Linalool

Isobutane

Ceramide EOP

BHT

Tocopherol

Limonene

Water, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Cholesterol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ceramide NP, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Polyacrylate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Nylon-12, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Disodium EDTA, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Adenosine, Dipropylene Glycol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, T-Butyl Alcohol, Mentha Piperita Oil, Sodium Citrate, Linalool, Isobutane, Ceramide EOP, BHT, Tocopherol, Limonene

Propanediol

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polymethyl Methacrylate

Oxygen

Ceramide Ng

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Colloidal Oatmeal

Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract

Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose

Polyglucuronic Acid

Cetyl Alcohol

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

Stearic Acid

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

Polypropylene

Polysorbate 80

Steareth-30

Lecithin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Perfluorohexane

Perfluoromethylcyclopentane

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Oxygen, Ceramide Ng, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Colloidal Oatmeal, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cholesterol, Polyglucuronic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Stearic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polypropylene, Polysorbate 80, Steareth-30, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Perfluorohexane, Chlorphenesin, Perfluoromethylcyclopentane, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

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.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Sodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.

This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

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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