Hero Cosmetics Clear Collective Clarifying Prebiotic Moisturizer Versus CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Erythritol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Erythritol, Sorbitol, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Trehalose, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Zinc PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Betaine, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCeramide 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 NPEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
