The INKEY List Ceramide Serum Versus Coxir Ceramide Milk Drop Cream

The INKEY List Ceramide Serum Versus Coxir Ceramide Milk Drop Cream

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

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

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

Goat Milk Extract

Cyclopentasiloxane

PEG-10 Dimethicone

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Adenosine

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Tricholoma Matsutake Extract

Lactose

Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract

Propolis Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Linoleic Acid

Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Titanium Dioxide

Sodium Chloride

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

CI 77492

CI 77491

Zinc Oxide

CI 77499

Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone

Ultramarines

Hydrogen Dimethicone

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Parfum

Goat Milk Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Lactose, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Propolis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Linoleic Acid, Ceramide NP, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Chloride, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77492, CI 77491, Zinc Oxide, CI 77499, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Ultramarines, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Parfum

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.

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.

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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