Versus

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture Versus Dermalogica Active Moist

General Moisturizer
General Moisturizer
American Brand United States
American Brand United States

Updated on February 16, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens, fragrances and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture 52 ingredients

Dermalogica Active Moist 42 ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture 52 ingredients

Dermalogica Active Moist 42 ingredients

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Daily Moisture

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Cetyl Palmitate

Emollient
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Stearic Acid

Cleansing
2-3 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Palmitic Acid

Emollient
2 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Silicon Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sorbitol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

CI 77163

Cosmetic Colorant

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

PEG-100 Stearate

0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Astringent
Can worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

PEG-75 Stearate

Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cetyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 2 Fatty Alcohol Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Panthenol

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Ceteth-20

Cleansing

Triethanolamine

Buffering
2 / 0

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Propylene Glycol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Steareth-20

Cleansing
2 / 1

Disodium EDTA

Myristic Acid

Cleansing
3 / 0 Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Betaine

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Skin Protecting

Glucose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Masking
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Masking
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract

Cleansing

Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract

Masking
May worsen Eczema Icon

Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract

Masking

Retinyl Palmitate

Skin Conditioning
1-3 / 1-3 Retinoid IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Emollient
0 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Zinc Sulfate

Antimicrobial
Sulfate Icon

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Bleaching
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Urtica Dioica Extract

Astringent

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Astringent

Betula Alba Leaf Extract

Astringent

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Cinnamal

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Pyridoxine Hcl

Skin Conditioning
Active Moist

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Cleansing, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.

As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.

Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.

Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.

This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Stearic Acid
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

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

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Learn more about Butylene Glycol
Emollient, Emulsifying

Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid found in our skin. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It is a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.

As an emollient, it helps hydrate the skin. The emulsifying properties keep ingredients together in a product.

Palmitic Acid may not be fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Palmitic Acid
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

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 Dimethicone
Emollient, Emulsifying

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

It 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.

This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate
Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin
Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol
Cleansing, Emulsifying

Myristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.

Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.

One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Learn more about Myristic Acid
Buffering, Masking

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

When to use

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture 52 ingredients

Dermalogica Active Moist 42 ingredients

50 Routines
60% use in am
40% use in pm
94% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
73 Routines
58% use in am
42% use in pm
93% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->