Educational guide
The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate
The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Asiaticoside to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness. This calming serum is
This guide cannot diagnose a condition or recommend a personal treatment plan. Discuss medical questions with a qualified professional.
The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Asiaticoside to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.
This calming serum is formulated around Lactobacillus Ferment and Resveratrol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propanediol
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
Pentylene Glycol
Niacinamide
Hexyldecanol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Xylitylglucoside
Ceteth-20 Phosphate
Anhydroxylitol
Ethyl Linoleate
Asiaticoside
Asiatic Acid
Madecassic Acid
Naringenin
Cyanocobalamin
Panthenyl Triacetate
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide
Bisabolol
Brassica Campestris Sterols
Sphingolipids
Phospholipids
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Gallyl Glucoside
Propyl Gallate
Xylitol
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Stearic Acid
Dicetyl Phosphate
Isoceteth-20
Xanthan Gum
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
Dehydroacetic Acid
P-Anisic Acid
Phytic Acid
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Citrate
Sodium Hydroxide
Benzyl Alcohol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
Chlorphenesin
Water, Propanediol, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hexyldecanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, Anhydroxylitol, Ethyl Linoleate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Naringenin, Cyanocobalamin, Panthenyl Triacetate, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Sphingolipids, Phospholipids, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Propyl Gallate, Xylitol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Stearic Acid, Dicetyl Phosphate, Isoceteth-20, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Phytic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Dimethicone
Glycerin
Methyl Trimethicone
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
Butylene Glycol
Isopropyl Isostearate
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Faex Extract
Tripeptide-32
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Algin
Lactobacillus Ferment
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Soy Amino Acids
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Resveratrol
Algae Extract
Salicylic Acid
Ergothioneine
Tocopheryl Acetate
Whey Protein
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Caffeine
Sodium PCA
Propylene Glycol Caprylate
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Isohexadecane
Polysilicone-11
Methyldihydrojasmonate
Sodium Lactate
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Isododecane
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Squalane
Polyethylene
Propylene Carbonate
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Linalool
CI 14700
CI 19140
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Faex Extract, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Soy Amino Acids, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Resveratrol, Algae Extract, Salicylic Acid, Ergothioneine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Whey Protein, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Isohexadecane, Polysilicone-11, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Sodium Lactate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isododecane, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Squalane, Polyethylene, Propylene Carbonate, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, CI 14700, CI 19140
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.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
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.
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!