Versus

Allies of Skin Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm Versus Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Blemish Sleeping Facial

Night Moisturizer
Night Moisturizer
American Brand United States
American Brand United States

Overview

What they are

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

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, exfoliants, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and oils

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

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Squalane

Emollient
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Emollient
0 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Antimicrobial

Nigella Sativa Seed Oil

Emollient
Fragrance IconOil Icon

Isomalt

Humectant

Acacia Senegal Gum

Masking

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Cleansing

Canola Oil

Emollient
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Panthenol

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Emollient
2 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ethyl Macadamiate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Bisabolol

Masking
Helps reduce irritation Icon

Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Lecithin

Emollient

Hydrolyzed Oat Protein

Skin Conditioning

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Skin Conditioning

C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Adenosine Triphosphate

Skin Conditioning

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

Skin Conditioning

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract

Skin Conditioning

Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract

Skin Conditioning

Phytol

Emollient
Fragrance Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Dextran

Zea Mays Starch

Absorbent

Sodium Gluconate

Skin Conditioning

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Emulsifying

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Antimicrobial
Preservative Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Malic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon
Promise Keeper Blemish Sleeping Facial

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Antimicrobial

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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
Antimicrobial, Emollient, Skin Conditioning

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.

As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.

This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.

Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Smoothing

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide
Humectant, Moisturising, Skin Conditioning

Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.

This ingredient helps hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.

What makes hyaluronic acid so hydrating? It has the capacity to bind or hold large amounts of water.

Fun fact: It is already naturally found in our bodies, such as the fluids of our eyes and our joints.

Studies find this ingredient to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This can help speed up wound-healing.

Hyaluronic acid can be irritating if the molecule has a low-molecular weight, or if the molecules are small.

One study found low-molecular weight hyaluronic acid to be pro-inflammatory, meaning some people may experience irritation. This is because our bodies use hyaluronic acid in the wound-healing process to signal to our bodies, via irritation, that something needs healing.

The same study found high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid to be anti-inflammatory.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Hyaluronic Acid
Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol
Skin Conditioning

This synthetic peptide is created from palmitic acid, arginine, histidine, and phenylalanine.

According to the manufacturer, this peptide is great at soothing skin inflammation.

Dextran is a sugar (polysaccharide) with skin hydrating properties.

Fun fact: Louis Pasteur first discovered this ingredient as a microbial product in wine.

Skin Conditioning

This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.

It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.

Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.

Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.

Learn more about Sodium Gluconate
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Antimicrobial, Preservative

This ingredient is more commonly known as IPMP or Isopropyl Methylphenol. It is a preservative and has antimicrobial properties.

According to the EPA, this ingredient is allowed for use in cleansers, creams, powders, bath products, toothpaste, perfume, and more.

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.
  • It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

When to use

26 Routines
27% use in am
73% use in pm
69% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
7 Routines
0% use in am
100% use in pm
57% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Allies of Skin Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm 53 ingredients

Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Blemish Sleeping Facial 46 ingredients

1.0 /5
from 1 rating
Drying (1) Sticky (1) Strong Scent (1)
yyyydddd's avatar

yyyydddd

29 days ago
Review

Not for dry skin, in fact it my face feels tighter. Also, it smells disgusting. I really tried but ended up having it wash it off because I couldnt sleep with the smell.

#drying
#sticky
#strong scent