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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex versus EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer .

Published on December 15, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens or sulfates

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 American Brand United States
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

Night Moisturizer

Night Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin overnight.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Barrier Renewal Complex

Shop

Buy PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Ceramides (5)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (9)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (7)
Reduces Irritation (5)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (7)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 1.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emollient

We don't have a description for Ethylhexyl Isononanoate.

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 2.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 3.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 4.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 6.

5
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Stearate

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 5.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.

6
What it does:
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 6.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 5.

7
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 37.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 27.

8
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 38.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 8.

9
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 41.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 12.

10
What it does: Antioxidant, Preservative

Sodium Bisulfite is an antioxidant and is a preservative.

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 43.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 28.

11
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

EltaMD, Inc Barrier Renewal Complex contains this as ingredient number 44.

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 24.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

45% are loved or liked
5% have mixed ratings
34% are disliked or very disliked
16% have no rating yet
31% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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