Simple Skincare Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser Versus Dot & Key Skincare Cica + Niacinamide Oil-Free Moisturizer
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Borago Officinalis Seed Oil to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and balance excess oil.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Pantolactone
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Pantolactone, Bisabolol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Serine, Urea, Sorbitol, Allantoin, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
C12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingC12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Silanetriol
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Methylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Niacinamide, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Saccharide Isomerate, Silanetriol, Hyaluronic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Centella Asiatica Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
