Chemist Confessions Inc. Balm Voyage Soothing Occlusives Versus Experiment Beauty Buffer Jelly Barrier Boosting Oil Gel
This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around Petrolatum and Squalane to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This barrier-repair oil is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Petrolatum
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Stearyl Heptanoate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBoswellia Serrata Gum
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Petrolatum, Squalane, Stearyl Heptanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Behenate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3, Dipropylene Glycol, Boswellia Serrata Gum, Ceramide NP, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventDextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate
Emulsifying
Petrolatum
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenyl Triacetate
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Euterpe Oleracea Sterols
Skin ConditioningEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Wax
Naringenin
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, C13-15 Alkane, Dextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate, Petrolatum, Jojoba Esters, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Tocopherol, Panthenyl Triacetate, Ceramide NP, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Ethyl Linoleate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Wax, Naringenin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linolenic Acid
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPJojoba Esters is a wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator.
This ingredient has high oxidative stability, meaning it doesn't break down when exposed to oxygen.
Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.
It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.
Learn more about Jojoba EstersPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about Squalane
