e.l.f. cosmetics Nourishing Night Cream Versus PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm

e.l.f. cosmetics Nourishing Night Cream Versus PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm Detailed comparison of e.l.f. cosmetics Nourishing Night Cream versus PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm. This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Hydrolyzed Silk to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. Water Dimethicone Butylene Glycol Ethylhexyl Palmitate Hydrogenated Polyisobutene Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Glycerin Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract Cetearyl Alcohol Stearic Acid Dimethiconol Xanthan Gum Sodium Hyaluronate Triethanolamine Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Tocopheryl Acetate Sodium Dehydroacetate Saccharum Officinarum Extract Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract Citrus Limon Fruit Extract Disodium EDTA Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dimethiconol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cetyl Alcohol Glyceryl Stearate Cyclopentasiloxane Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Potassium Cetyl Phosphate Polysorbate 60 Allantoin Squalane Hydrolyzed Silk Ethylhexylglycerin Hydrastis Canadensis Extract Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract Sodium Hydroxide Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 60, Allantoin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrastis Canadensis Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products. As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied. It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin. A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record. This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients. Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!). Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo. Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity. While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize. Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier. Despite 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. It plays several roles in a formula: Typical 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. Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people. However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers. Cetearyl 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. Here'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. Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula