L'Oreal Triple Active Comforting Moisturizer Night Versus Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Moisturiser Sensitive Skin
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingParaffin
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Zea Mays Oil, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Panthenol, Retinyl Palmitate, Cera Microcristallina, Paraffin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Glycine Soja Oil, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, CI 14700, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Erythritol
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Homarine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Erythritol, Glycine Soja Oil, Homarine Hcl, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium PCA, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 StearateGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
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.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
