Elsheskin Skin Barrier + Calming Moisturizer Versus Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Face Cream for Dry Skin
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Saccharide Isomerate and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.
This moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Flour to smooth texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Schizophyllan
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Laureth-3
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydrolyzed Royal Jelly Protein
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharide Isomerate, Schizophyllan, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Laureth-3, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Ceramide NP, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Royal Jelly Protein, Glycerin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Maltodextrin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
