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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream versus Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer .

Last updated on December 05, 2023. Published on December 19, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 13 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer Swedish Brand Sweden
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Sensitive Balance Face Cream

Shop

Buy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer

Starts at $48.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation (2)
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Ceramides

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (4)
Anti-Aging (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying
Community Rating: Disliked

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate is derived from isostearic acid. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

The highest concentration of this ingredient is found in lipsticks.

This ingredient is minimally water soluble and may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 4.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 7.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.

Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.

Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 9.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 3.

6
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Xylitylglucoside is created from xylitol and glucose, two humectants.

Not surprisingly, this ingredient is also a humectant. It attracts and holds water in your skin, helping to maintain hydration.

This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol(24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).

According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.

Learn more about Xylitylglucoside

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 12.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 11.

7
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 14.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 6.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.

lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

Learn more about Panthenol

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 16.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 14.

9
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

This ingredient is created from dehydrating xylitol in acidic conditions. Xylitol is a famous sugar and humectant.

Much like its predecessor, anhydroxylitol is a humectant. Humectants attract and hold water to moisturize the skin.

This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol (24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).

According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.

This ingredient is often derived from plants such as wood and sugarcane.

Learn more about Anhydroxylitol

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 17.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 26.

10
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Xylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.

In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.

The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.

As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.

Learn more about Xylitol

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 24.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 25.

11
What it does: Humectant
Community Rating: Loved

Glucose is a simple sugar and is the most important source of energy in all organisms. In skincare, glucose is used to hydrate the skin. It also acts as a prebiotic for our natural biome.

As a humectant, glucose draws moisture from the air and from deeper levels in the skin. This helps hydrate skin.

Our skin's natural microbiome contains many saccharides that act as prebiotics. These prebiotics help strengthen our skin's microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome helps protect our skin from harmful bacteria and other contaminants.

Studies show glucose may help with fading discoloration and pigmentation. This is because our skin metabolizes glucose into lactic acid. Lactic acid is an AHA that helps exfoliate the top layer of skin.

Plants and algae make glucose during the process of photosynthesis. It is then used to make cellulose, the building blocks of cell walls.

Learn more about Glucose

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 26.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 23.

12
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 30.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 39.

13
What it does: Masking, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 32.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 41.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

41% are loved or liked
3% have mixed ratings
47% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet
44% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
34% are disliked or very disliked
10% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

ACO Sensitive Balance Face Cream 32 ingredients

Sensitive Balance Face Cream hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer 41 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 7 ratings
Absorbs Well (3) Works Well (3) Hydrating (2) Light Scent (2) Expensive (1)
Clover's avatar

Clover

2 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

I love this cream, but the price hurts my soul (and wallet).
I personally don’t like to spend more than $30 on a single product, so I suggest...

I love this cream, but the price hurts my soul (and wallet).
I personally don’t like to spend more than $30 on a single product, so I suggest waiting for a sale or buying a smaller size (this product is offered in 4 sizes, with the 1.7 Fl Oz jar being the default at $48). This moisturizer just works so well for my dry skin. It’s not too heavy and it absorbs quickly, but my skin is still left feeling very moisturized and soft. I’ve even seen that it helps to calm my redness. There’s a slight sweet and honey-esque smell to this cream, but it doesn’t linger and disappears after application so it’s not overpowering, but if you are sensitive to fragrance just keep in mind that this product contains “aroma”, which is just another word for fragrance. I think a lot of people would enjoy this product, so if you are on the hunt for a good moisturizer I recommend checking this one out, but like I said before, I think waiting for a sale is the best time to pick this one up because it is a bit pricy in my opinion.

sarahabma's avatar

sarahabma

1 year ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Best moisturizer I've ever used, sadly
This moisturizer breaks the bank for me so I can't go on buying it... but oh my goodness it's the best cream...

Best moisturizer I've ever used, sadly
This moisturizer breaks the bank for me so I can't go on buying it... but oh my goodness it's the best cream I've ever used by far. It makes the skin glowy, LOCKS IN moisture and is wonderful for dry or combo skin (I used this primarily in the winter with combo/oily skin). I really expected this to break me out when I first tried it because it was so thick and I have very touchy skin, but it did nothing but wonders.

Alternatives

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