The INKEY List Ceramide Serum Versus Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

The INKEY List Ceramide Serum Versus Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

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

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Persea Gratissima Oil and Niacinamide 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

Jojoba Esters

Persea Gratissima Oil

Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract

Niacinamide

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide Eos

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Allantoin

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Bisabolol

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Tocopherol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Boswellia Serrata Extract

Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sodium Phytate

Cetyl Alcohol

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Behenic Acid

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract

Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Sodium Carbonate

Sodium Chloride

CI 75810

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Cananga Odorata Flower Extract

Caprooyl Phytosphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Rose Extract

Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Dextran

Hydroxyacetophenone

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Santalum Album Wood Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ceteareth-25

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Persea Gratissima Oil, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Allantoin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Phytate, Cetyl Alcohol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Behenic Acid, Cholesterol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, CI 75810, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rose Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dextran, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Santalum Album Wood Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteareth-25, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate

Reviews

Be the first to review

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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.

You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.

The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.

Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.

Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.

It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.

EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.

What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).

Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.

Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.

In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.

You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.

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.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

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.

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.

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!

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