Avène Soothing Moisture Mask Versus La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Light Rehydrating Face Moisturizer
This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride and Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Zinc Gluconate and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to balance excess oil and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Palm/Palm Kernel Oil PEG-6 Esters
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Ribes Rubrum Fruit Extract
TonicRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentSodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientTropolone
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Palm/Palm Kernel Oil PEG-6 Esters, Triethanolamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Microcrystalline Wax, PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ribes Rubrum Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tropolone, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polyethylene
Abrasive
PEG-20 Stearate
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Copper Sulfate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Polyethylene, PEG-20 Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Carbomer, Zinc Gluconate, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Copper Sulfate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
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!
Learn more about Water
