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Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb Versus Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb Versus Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Extract and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This brightening moi

Written by Peptide Therapy Guide Editorial Team
For education only

This guide cannot diagnose a condition or recommend a personal treatment plan. Discuss medical questions with a qualified professional.

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb Versus Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Extract and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Cyclohexasiloxane

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Dipropylene Glycol

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

1,2-Hexanediol

Triethylhexanoin

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Stearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-40 Stearate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Nepeta Cataria Extract

Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract

Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract

Stellaria Media Extract

Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract

Viola Tricolor Extract

Rosa Damascena Flower Extract

Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract

Althaea Officinalis Root Extract

Euphrasia Officinalis Extract

Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Extract

Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract

Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract

Menyanthes Trifoliata Leaf Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract

Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract

C14-22 Alcohols

Squalane

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Arachidyl Glucoside

Ceramide NP

Cholesterol

Caprylyl Glycol

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tocopherol

Panthenol

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Urea

Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate

Viscum Album Extract

Glycosyl Trehalose

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Stearic Acid

Tromethamine

PEG-100 Stearate

Cetearyl Olivate

Palmitic Acid

Sorbitan Olivate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Carbomer

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Xanthan Gum

Trisodium EDTA

Cetearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Dimethicone

Sorbitan Stearate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Limonene

Citronellol

Geraniol

Citral

Linalool

Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dipropylene Glycol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Nepeta Cataria Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract, Stellaria Media Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Euphrasia Officinalis Extract, Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Extract, Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Menyanthes Trifoliata Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, C14-22 Alcohols, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Urea, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Viscum Album Extract, Glycosyl Trehalose, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Stearic Acid, Tromethamine, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium EDTA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Linalool

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Isoamyl Laurate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Lactobacillus/Lemon Peel Ferment Extract

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Cetyl Alcohol

Acacia Senegal Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phytic Acid

Sodium Gluconate

Phenoxyethanol

Citric Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

CI 77491

Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Lactobacillus/Lemon Peel Ferment Extract, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phytic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Citronellol, CI 77491

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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.

Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.

You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.

These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.

This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.

Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

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.

Rosa Damascena Flower Extract is from the Damask rose. This ingredient has tonic and masking properties.

This ingredient has tonic properties; tonics are used to remove soap residue. As a masking ingredient, it is used to cover unpleasant smells from other ingredients.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.

Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.

Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Tocopherol 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.

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.

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About the author

Peptide Therapy Guide Editorial Team

Editorial team for Peptide Therapy Guide.

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