Educational guide
Kopari Moisture Whipped Ceramide Cream Versus Summer Fridays Rich Cushion Cream Ultra Plumping Moisturizer
Kopari Moisture Whipped Ceramide Cream Versus Summer Fridays Rich Cushion Cream Ultra Plumping Moisturizer This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moistu
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Kopari Moisture Whipped Ceramide Cream Versus Summer Fridays Rich Cushion Cream Ultra Plumping Moisturizer
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Hyaluronic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Octyldodecanol
Dicaprylyl Ether
2,3-Butanediol
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Cetearyl Alcohol
1,2-Hexanediol
Squalane
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Behenyl Alcohol
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Sodium Polyacrylate
Behenic Acid
Stearic Acid
Stearyl Alcohol
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Myristic Acid
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Ceramide NP
Triethylhexanoin
Phospholipids
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Glyceryl Caprylate
Cholesterol
Propanediol
Phytosphingosine
Tocopherol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
Xanthan Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Dicaprylyl Ether, 2,3-Butanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Behenic Acid, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Myristic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Triethylhexanoin, Phospholipids, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cholesterol, Propanediol, Phytosphingosine, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Glyceryl Stearate
Isopropyl Myristate
Cetyl Alcohol
Betaine
Hyaluronic Acid
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Persea Gratissima Oil
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Saccharide Isomerate
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Bisabolol
Allantoin
Centella Asiatica Extract
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Resveratrol
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Panthenol
Sodium PCA
Sodium Lactate
Glyceryl Laurate
Palmitic Acid
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Caprylyl Glycol
Sodium Citrate
Potassium Sorbate
Citric Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Sodium Benzoate
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetyl Alcohol, Betaine, Hyaluronic Acid, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Squalane, Saccharide Isomerate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Resveratrol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Laurate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate
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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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
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.
Glyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
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.