Skin science article
The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer Versus ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream
The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer Versus ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate ski
The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer Versus ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea and Panax Ginseng Root Water to strengthen the skin barrier 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
Butylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
Stearic Acid
Behenyl Alcohol
Palmitic Acid
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
1,2-Hexanediol
Arachidyl Alcohol
C14-22 Alcohols
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Arachidyl Glucoside
Mannitol
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Polyisobutene
Glyceryl Caprylate
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
Carbomer
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Myristic Acid
Arachidic Acid
Cholesterol
Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Glucose
Silica
Glycine Max Oil
Phytosphingosine
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Tocopherol
Canola Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, C14-22 Alcohols, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Polyacrylate-13, Arachidyl Glucoside, Mannitol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Caprylate, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Cholesterol, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Glucose, Silica, Glycine Max Oil, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
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.
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate is a synthetic emollient and "skin-feel" ingredient that spreads well and leaves a non-sticky finish with high gloss.
In makeup, it also doubles as a pigment-wetting agent for better color payoff.
It's a well-vetted ingredient for safety and does not penetrate into skin due to its large molecule size.
Because it's a long-chain fatty acid ester, this ingredient may not be fungal acne or Malassezia safe.
Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.
Polyacrylate-13 creates a film to protect the skin. It is also used to thicken and stabilize a product. It works by making water a gel-like consistency. This gel consistency helps suspend particles.
Polyacrylate-13 is a copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide, sodium acrylate, sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate monomers
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
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!