Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum Versus Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream Illuminating Hydrating Fluid

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum Versus Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream Illuminating Hydrating Fluid

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

This moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Bifida Ferment Lysate

PEG-8

Propanediol

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Methyl Gluceth-20

Glycereth-26

PEG-75

Butylene Glycol

Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract

Tripeptide-32

Sodium Hyaluronate

Faex Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Cola Acuminata Seed Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Algin

Pantethine

Caffeine

Lecithin

Sodium Rna

Bisabolol

Squalane

Glycerin

Oleth-3 Phosphate

Caprylyl Glycol

Oleth-3

Oleth-5

Choleth-24

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters

Ceteth-24

Tocopheryl Acetate

Carbomer

Triethanolamine

Tetrasodium EDTA

BHT

Xanthan Gum

Potassium Sorbate

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, PEG-8, Propanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycereth-26, PEG-75, Butylene Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate, Faex Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Pantethine, Caffeine, Lecithin, Sodium Rna, Bisabolol, Squalane, Glycerin, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-3, Oleth-5, Choleth-24, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Ceteth-24, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140

Camellia Japonica Flower Water

Alcohol

Lauroyl Lysine

Canola Oil

Pentylene Glycol

Dimethicone

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Parfum

Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Silica

Arginine

Dipropylene Glycol

Polyquaternium-51

Phytic Acid

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Benzoate

Citric Acid

CI 77891

Mica

Water, Camellia Japonica Flower Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Alcohol, Lauroyl Lysine, Propanediol, Canola Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Silica, Arginine, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, CI 77891, Mica

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.

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).

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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