La Mer The Rejuvenating Night Cream Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Overnight Treatment

La Mer The Rejuvenating Night Cream Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Overnight Treatment

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Algae Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Dimethicone

Butylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Glycerin

Silica

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Polyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Behenyl Alcohol

PEG-100 Stearate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Medicago Sativa Seed Powder

Helianthus Annuus Seedcake

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Sodium Gluconate

Copper Gluconate

Calcium Gluconate

Magnesium Gluconate

Zinc Gluconate

Tocopheryl Succinate

Niacin

Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Sodium Hyaluronate

Crithmum Maritimum Extract

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Faex Extract

Crithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate

Bambusa Vulgaris Extract

Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Pisum Sativum Extract

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Caffeine

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Lecithin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Ethylhexylglycerin

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

PEG-8

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Carbomer

Sodium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 60

Glucosamine Hcl

Sorbitan Isostearate

Polysorbate 20

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Caprylyl Glycol

Hexylene Glycol

Alcohol Denat.

Parfum

Limonene

Linalool

Hydroxycitronellal

Citronellol

Geraniol

Benzyl Salicylate

Benzyl Benzoate

BHT

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Potassium Sorbate

CI 15985

Water, Algae Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glycerin, Silica, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Faex Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, PEG-8, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Glucosamine Hcl, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 20, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Benzoate, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, CI 15985

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Cetyl Alcohol

C9-12 Alkane

Cetearyl Alcohol

Tripeptide-32

Sodium Polyglutamate

Succinic Acid

Artemia Extract

Squalane

Lactobacillus Ferment

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Rice Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract

Sorbitol

Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Maltodextrin

Steareth-21

Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3

Steareth-2

Xanthan Gum

Glucose

Sodium Dehydroacetate

CI 19140

CI 14700

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyglutamate, Succinic Acid, Artemia Extract, Squalane, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caffeine, Algae Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Faex Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Sorbitol, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Maltodextrin, Steareth-21, Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3, Steareth-2, Hexylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 19140, CI 14700

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Algae Extract is a confusing name. This is because algae is an informal term for a group of 30,000 aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize.

The term 'algae extract' can refer to any one, or a blend of, the 30,000 types.

Algae is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

Algae can also help with soothing and hydrating skin.

Many different types of algae have different benefits.

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.

As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.

The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.

However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.

As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.

Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.

You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.

Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.

Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.

We don't have a description for Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride yet.

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).

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.

It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.

Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.

This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.

Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.

Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).

Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.

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.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

We don't have a description for Faex Extract yet.

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 Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Hexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.

It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.

As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.

Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.

This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.

A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

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.

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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