Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ Versus IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Hydrating Moisturizer
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum and Urea to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientUrea
BufferingLanolin Alcohol
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seedcake
AbrasivePropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTrisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Urea, Lanolin Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingStearyl Behenate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPolyethylene
AbrasivePEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPhenyl Methicone
EmollientPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningGlycosphingolipids
EmollientGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Meadowfoam Estolide
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSteareth-20
CleansingN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingAleuritic Acid
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycoproteins
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningColloidal Oatmeal
AbsorbentRetinyl Retinoate
Skin ConditioningPolylactic Acid
AbrasiveCanola Oil
EmollientCholesteryl Nonanoate
EmollientAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
AntioxidantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialEruca Sativa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
EmulsifyingCeteareth-20
CleansingHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
EmollientGlycine Soja Sterols
EmollientMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantPhytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin ConditioningSantalum Album Oil
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
MaskingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Cetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlucose
HumectantStearyl Stearate
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningChlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeDipropylene Glycol
HumectantLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingCymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearyl Behenate, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Polyethylene, PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone, Phenyl Methicone, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyquaternium-51, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, PEG-150 Distearate, Ceramide AP, Glycosphingolipids, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Meadowfoam Estolide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Squalane, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polysorbate 20, Steareth-20, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Polysorbate 60, Aleuritic Acid, Yeast Extract, Glycoproteins, Betaine, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ceramide NP, Allantoin, Colloidal Oatmeal, Retinyl Retinoate, Polylactic Acid, Canola Oil, Cholesteryl Nonanoate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Ceteareth-20, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Glycine Soja Sterols, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Santalum Album Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glucose, Stearyl Stearate, Tromethamine, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Dipropylene Glycol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caramel, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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