The Derma Co Skin Renew Barrier Repair Peptide Moisturizer Versus The Derma Co 4% Ceramide Barrier Repair Moisturizer

The Derma Co Skin Renew Barrier Repair Peptide Moisturizer Versus The Derma Co 4% Ceramide Barrier Repair Moisturizer

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Niacinamide

Betaine

Cyclopentasiloxane

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Isododecane

Squalane

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Ceramide NP

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glyceryl Stearate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Polyacrylate-13

Polyisobutene

Polysorbate 20

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Centella Asiatica Extract

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Allantoin

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Triethanolamine

Sodium Gluconate

Water, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Isododecane, Squalane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide NP, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Sodium Gluconate

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide As

Ceramide AP

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glucose

Phoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Lecithin

Propylene Glycol

Polyglycerin-3

Dimethicone

Shea Butter Glycerides

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Sodium Benzoate

Stearic Acid

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hydroxide

Hyaluronic Acid

Glycerin

Ligustrum Lucidum Seed Extract

Fucus Vesiculosus Extract

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Water, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Xylitol, Glucose, Anhydroxylitol, Phoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Propylene Glycol, Polyglycerin-3, Glyceryl Stearate, Xylitylglucoside, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Shea Butter Glycerides, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, Ligustrum Lucidum Seed Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

This ingredient is created from dehydrating xylitol in acidic conditions. Xylitol is a famous sugar and humectant.

Much like its predecessor, anhydroxylitol is a humectant. Humectants attract and hold water to moisturize the skin.

This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol (24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).

According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.

This ingredient is often derived from plants such as wood and sugarcane.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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!

Xylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.

In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.

The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.

As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.

Xylitylglucoside is created from xylitol and glucose, two humectants.

Not surprisingly, this ingredient is also a humectant. It attracts and holds water in your skin, helping to maintain hydration.

This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol(24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).

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