Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Cetaphil Rich Night Cream versus L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream .
Last updated on October 28, 2023. Published on December 27, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe night moisturizers. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA, retinoid and Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances, oils and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Night Moisturizer
Night Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin overnight.
Night Moisturizer
Night Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin overnight.
Price
Ingredient Info
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream 35 ingredients
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream 38 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream 35 ingredients
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream 38 ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream 35 ingredients
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream 38 ingredients
Water • Hydrogenated Polydecene • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Dimethicone • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Cetearyl Olivate • Sorbitan Olivate • Cyclopentasiloxane • 1,2-Hexanediol • Ascorbyl Palmitate • Caprylyl Glycol • Cetearyl Alcohol • Cetearyl Methicone • Citric Acid • Glyceryl Stearate • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Isohexadecane • Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Linoleic Acid • Lycopene • Marrubium Vulgare Extract • Olea Europaea Fruit Oil • Peg-100 Stearate • Peg-40 Stearate • Phenoxyethanol • Phospholipids • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Retinyl Palmitate • Sodium Benzoate • Sodium Polyacrylate • Steareth-2 • Steareth-21 • Tocopheryl Acetate
Water • Hydrogenated Polyisobutene • Dimethicone • Glycerin • Paraffinum Liquidum • Cetyl Alcohol • Peg-100 Stearate • Glyceryl Stearate • Oryza Sativa Bran Oil • Zea Mays Oil • Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid • Cera Microcristallina • Paraffin • Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil • Sorbitan Tristearate • Isohexadecane • Bifida Ferment Lysate • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine • Citric Acid • Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil • Panthenol • Polysorbate 80 • Acrylamide • Retinyl Palmitate • Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate • Sodium Benzoate • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorhexidine Digluconate • CI 14700 • Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone • Limonene • Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde • Butylphenyl Methylpropional • Benzyl Alcohol • Benzyl Benzoate • Benzyl Salicylate • Parfum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterCetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 4.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 GlycerinCetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 5.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 AcidCetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 15.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 20.
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateCetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 16.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 8.
Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecaneCetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 16.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. 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.
Peg-100 Stearate helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. It helps prevent oil and water from separating in a product. By binding oil and water, it helps remove dirt and oil to be rinsed away.
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 25.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 7.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 27.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 28.
Retinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateCetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 30.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 25.
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 BenzoateCetaphil Rich Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 31.
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream contains this as ingredient number 27.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream 35 ingredients
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream 38 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Cetaphil Rich Night Cream 35 ingredients
L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream 38 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 33 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Cetaphil Rich Night Cream.
See 33 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to L'Oreal Hydra Active 3 Night Cream.
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