Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Revolution Beauty Ceramides Moisture Lotion

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Revolution Beauty Ceramides Moisture Lotion This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and balance excess oil. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sod

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Revolution Beauty Ceramides Moisture Lotion

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

This barrier-repair moisturizer 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

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

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Ceteareth-20

Dimethicone

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Carbomer

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hyaluronate

Potassium Hydroxide

Ceteareth-25

Behenic Acid

Ceramide NP

Cholesterol

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide Eos

Caprooyl Phytosphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Glyceryl Oleate

Glyceryl Stearate

Lecithin

Tocopherol

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hydroxide, Ceteareth-25, Behenic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Tocopherol

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.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

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 Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Glycerin
  3. 03Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
  4. 04Persea Gratissima Oil
  5. 05Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  6. 06Squalane
  7. 07Cetearyl Alcohol
  8. 08Glyceryl Stearate Se
  9. 09Retinol
  10. 10Phenoxyethanol
  11. 11Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
  12. 12Benzyl Alcohol
  13. 13Phospholipids
  14. 14Tocopherol
  15. 15Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
  16. 16Glycine Soja Oil
  17. 17Ethylhexylglycerin
  18. 18Glycolipids
  19. 19Dehydroacetic Acid
  20. 20Polysorbate 60
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream

The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Distearat…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side