The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum Versus The INKEY List Ceramide Serum

The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum Versus The INKEY List Ceramide Serum

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Ectoin and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Coconut Alkanes

Ectoin 2%

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Maltodextrin

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Panthenol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sclerotium Gum

Xanthan Gum

Glyceryl Stearate

Jojoba Esters

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Citrate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax

Citric Acid

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Glycerin

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Triethyl Citrate

Pentylene Glycol

Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Ceramide NP

Hyaluronic Acid

Ceramide AP

Cholesterol

Phytosphingosine

Behenic Acid

Sodium Levulinate

Polyglycerin-3

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate

Ceramide EOP

Water, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Ectoin 2%, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Triethyl Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Behenic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Polyglycerin-3, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Ceramide EOP

Butylene Glycol

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Carbomer

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

Squalane

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium PCA

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Lactate

Arginine

Aspartic Acid

Sodium Gluconate

PCA

Polysorbate 60

Dehydroacetic Acid

Glycine

Alanine

Sorbitan Isostearate

Serine

Valine

Isoleucine

Proline

Threonine

Histidine

Phenylalanine

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

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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.

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.

Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin as a building block for ceramides.. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.

Phytosphingosine contributes to your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.

Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.

Fun fact: Phytosphingosine is abundant in plants and fungi.

More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:

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.

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.

As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.

This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.

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.

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