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The INKEY List Ceramide Night Treatment Versus COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream

The INKEY List Ceramide Night Treatment Versus COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moisturizer

The INKEY List Ceramide Night Treatment Versus COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream

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

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Water and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Carbomer

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

Squalane

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium PCA

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Sodium Lactate

Arginine

Aspartic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Gluconate

PCA

Polysorbate 60

Dehydroacetic Acid

Ceramide NP

Glycine

Alanine

Sorbitan Isostearate

Ceramide AP

Phytosphingosine

Serine

Cholesterol

Valine

Xanthan Gum

Isoleucine

Proline

Threonine

Histidine

Phenylalanine

Ceramide EOP

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Squalane, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, PCA, Polysorbate 60, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ceramide NP, Glycine, Alanine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Serine, Cholesterol, Valine, Xanthan Gum, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Ceramide EOP

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Betaine

1,2-Hexanediol

Cetearyl Olivate

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Sorbitan Olivate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Triethylhexanoin

Beeswax

Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil

Cyclohexasiloxane

Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract

Sucrose Distearate

Dipropylene Glycol

Panthenol

Niacinamide

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

Limonene

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Asiaticoside

Asiatic Acid

Madecassic Acid

Linalool

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Triethylhexanoin, Beeswax, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Sucrose Distearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Linalool

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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.

This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  4. 04Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  5. 05Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  6. 06Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  7. 07Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  8. 08Your 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.
  9. 09Aquaporin-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.
  10. 10This 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.
  11. 11Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  12. 12Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  13. 13This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
  14. 14It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
  15. 15Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
  16. 16It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
  17. 17The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
  18. 18Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
  19. 19True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
  20. 20Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side