The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer Versus Dear, Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream

The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer Versus Dear, Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream

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

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to calm redness and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Propanediol

Polysilicone-11

C10-18 Triglycerides

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Ceramide NP

Polyacrylate-13

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Ethylhexylglycerin

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Laureth-12

Sorbitan Isostearate

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Citric Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polysilicone-11, C10-18 Triglycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide NP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Stearic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Microcrystalline Wax

Betaine

Sorbitan Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Dimethicone

Arginine

Carbomer

Chlorphenesin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Illicium Verum Fruit Extract

Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract

Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Beta-Glucan

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Centella Asiatica Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Althaea Rosea Flower Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Disodium EDTA

Polyquaternium-51

Apium Graveolens Extract

Brassica Rapa Leaf Extract

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract

Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract

Lysine Hcl

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Acetyl Methionine

Theanine

Proline

Palmitic Acid

Arachidic Acid

Oleic Acid

Algin

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Natto Gum

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Cananga Odorata Flower Oil

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Microcrystalline Wax, Betaine, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Arginine, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Citric Acid, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-51, Apium Graveolens Extract, Brassica Rapa Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lysine Hcl, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Acetyl Methionine, Theanine, Proline, Palmitic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Oleic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Algin, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Natto Gum, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

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.

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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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