Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Good Molecules Lightweight Daily Moisturizer

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Good Molecules Lightweight Daily Moisturizer This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and balance excess oil. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Bu

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Good Molecules Lightweight Daily Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and balance excess oil.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Propanediol

Betaine

Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Magnesium Sulfate

Glycosphingolipids

Glycolipids

Sodium Benzoate

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Oleic Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Citric Acid

Polyglycerin-3

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Magnesium Sulfate, Glycosphingolipids, Glycolipids, Sodium Benzoate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Oleic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Polyglycerin-3

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Cetearyl Alcohol

1,2-Hexanediol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

Water, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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!

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. 03Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  4. 04Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
  5. 05It plays several roles in a formula:
  6. 06Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
  7. 07Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
  8. 08However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
  9. 09Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
  10. 10Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
  11. 11Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
  12. 12This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
  13. 13A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
  14. 14Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  15. 15Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  16. 16Your 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.
  17. 17Aquaporin-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.
  18. 18This 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.
  19. 19Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  20. 20Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles