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Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb Versus iNNBEAUTY PROJECT 10 + 10 Moisturizer with 10% Vitamin C + 10% Peptide Complex + Ceramides

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb Versus iNNBEAUTY PROJECT 10 + 10 Moisturizer with 10% Vitamin C + 10% Peptide Complex + Ceramides This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Extract and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin bar

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 iNNBEAUTY PROJECT 10 + 10 Moisturizer with 10% Vitamin C + 10% Peptide Complex + Ceramides

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

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking 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/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Tapioca Starch

Arachidyl Alcohol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Tridecyl Trimellitate

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Linoleic Acid

Citric Acid

Phytosterols

Glucose

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Behenyl Alcohol

Polyisobutene

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2

Hydroxyacetophenone

Cetearyl Glucoside

Carrageenan

Sorbitan Laurate

Sodium Phytate

C18-36 Acid Glycol Ester

C18-36 Acid Triglyceride

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tapioca Starch, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Squalane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ceramide NP, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Linoleic Acid, Citric Acid, Phytosterols, Glucose, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyisobutene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Glucoside, Carrageenan, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Phytate, C18-36 Acid Glycol Ester, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride

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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.

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

This ingredient is a plant-based surfactant and emulsifier. It helps oil and water based ingredients mix evenly to improve formula stability without adding a "greasy" feel.

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

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!

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About the author

Peptide Therapy Guide Editorial Team

Editorial team for Peptide Therapy Guide.

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