Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer Versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer

Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer Versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Flour and Avena Sativa Kernel Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Cetearyl Olivate

Avena Sativa Kernel Flour

Sorbitan Olivate

Polyacrylamide

Synthetic Beeswax

Phenoxyethanol

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Butylene Glycol

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Panthenol

Chlorphenesin

Dimethiconol

Carbomer

Laureth-7

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylamide, Synthetic Beeswax, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Chlorphenesin, Dimethiconol, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract

Squalane

Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Lecithin

Caprylyl Glycol

Diheptyl Succinate

Isoeicosane

Allantoin

Bisabolol

Sodium Phytate

Glycine Soja Sterols

Linoleic Acid

Phospholipids

Hansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Sorbitan Oleate

Cellulose Gum

Chitosan

1,2-Hexanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Diheptyl Succinate, Isoeicosane, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Sodium Phytate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Hansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Cellulose Gum, Chitosan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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!

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