La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Body Moisturizer for Extra Dry Skin Versus Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream Ultimate With Prebiotic Aloe
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder to hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Propanediol
Solvent
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMannose
HumectantCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propanediol, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Tristearate, Dimethiconol, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sodium Chloride, Mannose, Coco-Betaine, Disodium EDTA, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
PEG-30 Stearate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-30 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Propylene Glycol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, BHT
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Glycerin (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 StearateTocopherol 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
