Alpha-H Vitamin E Serum with 1% Ceramide Complex Versus Summer Fridays Dream Oasis Deep Hydration Serum

Alpha-H Vitamin E Serum with 1% Ceramide Complex Versus Summer Fridays Dream Oasis Deep Hydration Serum

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Ceramide NP and Ceramide AP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Squalane and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Propanediol

Methyl Gluceth-20

Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates

Phenoxyethanol

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Squalane

Polyacrylate-13

Caprylyl Glycol

Disodium EDTA

Polyisobutene

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Xanthan Gum

Citric Acid

Polysorbate 20

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Carbomer

Ceramide EOP

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates, Phenoxyethanol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Polyacrylate-13, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Polyisobutene, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Ceramide EOP

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Polyester-5

Avena Sativa Kernel Flour

Sodium PCA

Panthenol

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Niacinamide

Acetyl Glucosamine

Arginine

Aspartic Acid

PCA

Glycine

Alanine

Serine

Valine

Proline

Threonine

Isoleucine

Phenylalanine

Histidine

Sodium Lactate

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Glyceryl Stearate

Sodium Hydroxide

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Sodium Benzoate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Potassium Sorbate

1,2-Hexanediol

Propylene Glycol

Water, Propanediol, Squalane, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyester-5, Sodium Hyaluronate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Sodium Lactate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propylene Glycol

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Ceramide 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.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Disodium 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%.

Glycerin (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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium 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.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

Xanthan 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.

Similar Comparisons