Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm Versus Epionce Medical Barrier Cream

PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm Versus Epionce Medical Barrier Cream Detailed comparison of PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm versus Epionce Medical Barrier Cream. This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Hydrolyzed Silk to streng

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PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm Versus Epionce Medical Barrier Cream Detailed comparison of PCA Skin Silkcoat Balm versus Epionce Medical Barrier Cream. This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Hydrolyzed Silk to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum and Phytosphingosine to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. No key ingredients 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 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 Petrolatum Butylene Glycol Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil Hydrogenated Polyisobutene PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil Cetearyl Glucoside C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters Cyclohexasiloxane Allium Fistulosum Bulb Extract Arachidyl Alcohol Arachidyl Glucoside Behenyl Alcohol Beeswax Caprylyl Glycol Cyclomethicone Dimethiconol Disodium EDTA Hexylene Glycol Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables PEG-100 Stearate Persea Gratissima Oil Phytosphingosine Phytosterols Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Triethanolamine Water, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Cyclohexasiloxane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allium Fistulosum Bulb Extract, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Beeswax, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hexylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, PEG-100 Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosphingosine, Phytosterols, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Triethanolamine 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. C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long. In cosmetics, it plays several roles: The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility. This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product. It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own. Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated. This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid. Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food. Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing. The oily pa