True Botanicals Chebula Extreme Cream Versus Skin Proud Secure The Barrier Skin Barrier Support Cream
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Silybum Marianum Ethyl Ester
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract
Skin ProtectingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicJuniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil
Perfuming
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Silybum Marianum Ethyl Ester, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Water, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Linolenic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Linoleic Acid, Carbomer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oleic Acid, Ceramide NP, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Stearic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
