Skin science article
Tatcha The Indigo Cream Versus Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream
Tatcha The Indigo Cream Versus Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Avena Sativa Kernel Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated
Tatcha The Indigo Cream Versus Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Avena Sativa Kernel Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Squalane
Dimethicone
Propanediol
Glycerin
Diisostearyl Malate
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Behenyl Alcohol
Camellia Sinensis Leaf
Indigofera Tinctoria Leaf Extract
Polygonum Tinctorium Leaf/Stem Extract
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Sophora Japonica Flower Extract
Oryza Sativa Germ Oil
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Inositol
Sericin
Tetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone
Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sorbitan Tristearate
Trihydroxystearin
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Beheneth-20
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Ethylhexylglycerin
Butylene Glycol
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Sodium Acrylate/Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
CI 77891
Mica
Water, Squalane, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glycerin, Diisostearyl Malate, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Behenyl Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Indigofera Tinctoria Leaf Extract, Polygonum Tinctorium Leaf/Stem Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Inositol, Sericin, Tetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Trihydroxystearin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Beheneth-20, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sodium Acrylate/Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Mica
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Isopropyl Isostearate
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Cetearyl Alcohol
Palmitic Acid
Stearic Acid
Pentylene Glycol
Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Polyglyceryl-6 Ximenia Americana Seedate
Cholesterol
Ceramide AP
Ceramide EOP
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Ceramide NP
Phytosphingosine
Ceteareth-20
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Sodium Hydroxide
Citric Acid
Carbomer
Xanthan Gum
Caprylyl Glycol
Chlorphenesin
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Ximenia Americana Seedate, Cholesterol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Ceteareth-20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, 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.
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.
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!