Soul Apothecary Barrier Fix Moisturizer Versus Pond's Hydra Miracle Ultra Light Biome Gel Cera-Hyamino Moisturizer
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Succinoglycan
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
PEG-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingGlycine
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Cystine
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Triethanolamine, Sodium PCA, Parfum, Pentylene Glycol, Benzophenone-4, PEG-4 Laurate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Bisulfite, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Glycine, Squalane, Cystine, Panthenol, Sodium Chloride, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APCeramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.
It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.
EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).
Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.
Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.
In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.
You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.
Learn more about Ceramide EOPCeramide 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 NPDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSaccharide Isomerate comes from sugars found in corn. It is a skin hydrator.
The structure of this ingredient can be altered to be more similar to the carbohydrates found in our skin. This ability to mimic our skin gives it hydrating properties.
Specifically, saccharide Isomerate is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air to our skin.
Research shows Saccharide Isomerate to be an effective moisturizer.
Learn more about Saccharide IsomerateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
