SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture Versus Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture Versus Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Tocopherol and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Cetyl Palmitate

Stearic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Palmitic Acid

Tocopherol

Dimethicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Glyceryl Stearate

Sorbitol

CI 77163

Phenoxyethanol

PEG-100 Stearate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

PEG-75 Stearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Carbomer

Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate

Allantoin

Panthenol

Ceteth-20

Triethanolamine

Caprylyl Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Propylene Glycol

Steareth-20

Disodium EDTA

Myristic Acid

Betaine

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Glucose

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Extract

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract

Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract

Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract

Retinyl Palmitate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Sodium Benzoate

Zinc Sulfate

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Urtica Dioica Extract

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Betula Alba Leaf Extract

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Cinnamal

Pyridoxine Hcl

Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitol, CI 77163, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, PEG-75 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ceteth-20, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Myristic Acid, Betaine, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Glucose, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc Sulfate, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Betula Alba Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Cinnamal, Pyridoxine Hcl

Squalane

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Isoamyl Laurate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Olivate

Ceramide NP

Jojoba Esters

Euterpe Oleracea Sterols

Linoleic Acid

Oleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Ethyl Linoleate

Isoamyl Cocoate

Sorbitan Palmitate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Gluconate

Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isoamyl Laurate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Ceramide NP, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Ethyl Linoleate, Tocopherol, Isoamyl Cocoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Gluconate

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Cetyl Palmitate is a wax-ester that pulls triple duty as an emollient, thickener, and emulsion enhancer.

It helps enhance the texture of products by giving a smooth, silky feel while helping to stabilize the formula. The emollient action softens skin and reduces moisture loss.

This ingredient is considered safe and human testing of concentrations between 2.5-2.7% were found minimal irritation. Just know, there have been very rare cases of the palmitate family causing contact dermatitis.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it contains a C16 ester (palmitic acid) that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can 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.

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.

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!

Similar Comparisons