U beauty The Barrier Bioactive Treatment Overnight Moisturizer Versus Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSalicylic Acid
MaskingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantLinoleic Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlutathione
Lactobionic Acid
BufferingSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlycolic Acid
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialLinolenic Acid
CleansingHydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingN-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecyl Xyloside
EmulsifyingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXylose
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Pentylene Glycol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Salicylic Acid, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Glutathione, Lactobionic Acid, Superoxide Dismutase, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mandelic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Arginine, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Octyldodecyl Xyloside, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Sodium Dna, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Pyridoxine Hcl, Caprylyl Glycol, Xylose, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-2 Sesquiisostearate
EmulsifyingPEG-22/Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer
EmulsifyingAluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantAquaphilus Dolomiae Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingCopper Sulfate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingZinc Sulfate
AntimicrobialWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquiisostearate, PEG-22/Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer, Aluminum Stearate, Aquaphilus Dolomiae Ferment Filtrate, Arginine, Beeswax, Copper Sulfate, Magnesium Stearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Tromethamine, Zinc Sulfate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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