Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream is a new product created by a French brand focused on ceramides, and one of the huge skincare surprised of 2021 for me. Ceramides aren't a new ingredient in skincare, I have a few of my favourite K-beauty products with Ceramides, but Biotherm always reminds me of Algae and Plankton. What's so unique about this product?
About the brand Biotherm
Biotherm is a French brand created in 1952, but L'oreal became an owner of Biotherm in 1970. It's one of the luxury skincare brands in the L'oreal portfolio. Biotherm base its products on two important ingredients - mineral water and plankton. What's worth mentioning are Biotherm's commitments. If you check Biotherm's social media or website, you'll see a slogan or hashtag "Live By Blue Beauty", since mineral water has a huge meaning for Biotherm's formulas. By 2030, Biotherm plans to use 95% of biobased ingredients in formulas and make 90% of formulas biodegradable. By 2025 Biotherm is supposed to become carbon-neutral. Biotherm supports organisations and scientific research related to ocean and marine life.
Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream - Packaging
It's hard for me to review the packaging since the box I got is a PR box - it doesn't look 100% the same as a regular box. Normally, Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream comes in a box. I got PR in a bag and box made out of recycled paper with algae. Both are recyclable and biodegradable. I have to admit that paper has an awesome texture - something that regular paper won't ever give you. I started to see solutions like this more often. The glass packaging is made in 40% out of recycled glass. Both plastic cap and glass jar are fully recyclable.
Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream - Scent & Texture
The texture is rich and mild, and it's not a heavy cream. It has a white colour with no artificial pigments. Biotherm wanted to create lightweight cream for sensitive skin, and they did a good job. The scent doesn't remind me anything else than Biotherm's other series - it has a mild scent, which I enjoy.
Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream - Ingredients
Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera/Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera/Sunflower Seed Wax, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract/Wheat Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Oleate, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Adenosine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Parfum/Fragrance
Aqua/Water/Eau is an ingredient that you can find in almost every product. Its purpose in products is easy - it's a solvent. Glycerin is one of the most popular humectants in skincare. There's a large number of myths around glycerin like it can clog your skin. It doesn't clog your pores, but too much glycerin can make a sticky layer on the epidermis and even make your skin dryer than before due to TEWL (Transepidermal Water Loss). Still, it's an ingredient that we want to see in formulas. Dicaprylyl Ether is a solvent. it gives your skin a light film on the surface, but it also helps with the application of the product. Pentylene Glycol is a humectant with antimicrobial properties. Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate is a water in oil emulsifier. Propanediol is a solvent with moisturizing properties. Similar to Cyclohexasiloxane, Propylene Glycol is an ingredient that some people try to avoid. You're most likely to see Propanediol instead of Propylene Glycol in an organic skincare product, and the reason for this change is simple. Ecocert recommends it. Cetyl Esters - an oily emollient. Jojoba Esters - an emollient that leaves an oily film on the skin to nourish your epidermis. Cetearyl Isononanoate is just another emollient on the list. Behenyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol, but also a good emulsifier and emollient. Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera/Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax or Mimosa Wax is an emollient. Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera/Sunflower Seed Wax aka Sunflower Wax. We know sunflower oil well, but sunflower wax? It's an oily emollient that many people enjoy. Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract/Wheat Seed Extract is an ingredient I'm not a fan of since if you're allergic to gluten, you might want to stay away from it. If you have oily skin, wheat also isn't always the best thing for your skin type, but wheat extract if it comes for hair can be nourishing. Centella Asiatica Extract is an ingredient that stays in the skincare trend. Lots of ingredients used in skincare have a long history of use in medicine. This ingredient isn't different because Centella is a part of Ayurveda, a traditional (or if you prefer - alternative) medicine used by people for ages. Nowadays we associate it with India. Centella is a herb primarily applied in skincare for its healing properties. It speeds up the healing process, and that's why acne-prone skin loves it. If you're pregnant or you plan pregnancy, then try to find body care products with Centella Asiatica because it can have a valuable meaning on skin elasticity as well as stretch marks.
Ceramide NP or Ceramide 3 is an ingredient that we want to see in our products. Ceramides naturally occur in human skin, and they have a dominant role. You can find them in the lipid barrier of the skin along with cholesterol and fatty acids. Ceramide is like a cement of the skin. It makes sure that your skin won't get dehydrated. Sorbitan Oleate is an emulsifier. Isohexadecane is an emollient and solvent. Sodium Hyaluronate is a salt form of a popular Natural Moisturizing Factor - Hyaluronic Acid. Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier, ideal for sensitive skin. Adenosine is another elegant ingredient. It speeds up the healing process and repairs the skin barrier. It's ideal for inflamed skin, and it might have a positive effect on skin elasticity. Hydroxyacetophenone reminds me of acetone than an antioxidant, but it is an antioxidant that keeps our products fresh and protects ingredients from oxidation. Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a thickener. Capryloyl Salicylic Acid or LHA is an ingredient that I met a few years ago, and which I lately see a lot on social media. LHA is a salicylic acid but on steroids - not literally, by steroids, I mean fatty chain added to SA. It's a lipophilic structure, it is a gentle exfoliant, but due to its weight it doesn't penetrate your skin deep. Still, LHA is recommended for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Vitreoscilla Ferment is an extract derived from gram-negative bacteria. It might sound scary, but every skincare ingredient is used in skincare products for a reason. Vitreoscilla Ferment strengthens the skin barrier, it can be used with eczema, allergy and many other skin problems. It helps our microbiome, and it can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin. Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate or EDDS neutralizes ions in the formula to make your product fresh for a bit longer. Polyglycerin-3 or triglycerin is a humectant. Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax is an emulsifier. Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier. Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer is a thickener. Cetyl Alcohol is good alcohol and while writing that I reminded myself of an old joke about two drunk men drinking methanol and one said to the other one - we should drink faster, it's getting dark here - obviously, it's dark humour, because you are not supposed to drink methanol, so in this case, ethanol is also good alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is an oily emollient and emulsifier. It locks the water in your skin and prevents dehydration. Tocopherol or Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It's a water-soluble ingredient. Some people think it's a natural preservative, but Tocopherol itself in formulas is not the best to preserve the product. It boosts UVB protection, and if you add Vitamin C - you'll get better effects of both vitamins. Parfum/Fragrance is a scent composition.
Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream - first impressions
According to the brand, Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream is a lightweight formula with anti-aging potential. It's suitable for sensitive skin. This cream seems to be created as a solution for skincare during pandemics since it can help with tension in the skin caused by masks - it's even on Biotherm's website. We should see 85% more soothed skin, 81% fewer imperfections and 71% less tightness. What's interesting and important - Biotherm didn't photoshop photos of models used in the promotional materials. Biotherm uses in its formulas Life Plankton - a fully biodegradable probiotic. It's focused on balance, firmness, fairness, resilience, luminosity, smoothness, purity and refinement. It targets different skin problems even if we got only one solution. This probiotic makes your skin stronger. I tested this cream for less too long to give you a full review, but I want to make a small introduction to this product since I believe it's a product worth notice. The formula has a really nice smell, it's calming and it fits the aesthetic of the product for sensitive skin. I'm not fully okay with the Gua Sha added to PR since Gua Sha is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and I know that the beauty world sees Gua Sha as a beauty tool, but I use it only for some muscle knots since Gua Sha isn't a beauty tool and it can leave some red marks which you wouldn't like to see on your face.
Anyway, go back to moisturizer. The jar is bit hard to open and close, at least for me, but besides that, there's nothing wrong. The formula seems to be ideal for winter, oily skin might not be a fan of it since it has some ingredients that might be too heavy for oily skin, for example mimosa wax or sunflower wax. If you have oily dehydrated skin then using this moisturizer during the evening routine is a way to go! A small amount of moisturizer covers the entire skin, it looks nice on the skin. My skin had a rough month so I hope this formula will do magic for my skin - I spent entire month at work working since 9 am to 2 am (if you need a social media manager with knowledge about beauty and who does a lot for the company - hit me up). I tried Biotherm before and this moisturizer shown me how much Biotherm has changed in last few years. The last Biotherm product I tested was Life Plankton Sensitive Balm which I also enjoyed and I feel like Cera Repair Barrier Cream is a Sensitive Balm but stronger (like in the memes "I'm you, but stronger"). The jar of 50ml Cera Repair Barrier Cream costs $50. Is this a high or low price? I won't judge, but we pay for ingredients and brand in this case.
Other ceramide creams
Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream costs too much for you and you want to try other Ceramide creams? I got you!
Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Cure Balm
Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Natto Gum, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Disodium EDTA, Diisostearyl Malate, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Methyl Trimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Squalane, Bupleurum Chinensis Root Extract, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate, Hyaluronic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tremella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceramide 3
You probably know Natto as this weird Japanese dish with typical scent. Natto Gum is a byproduct of soy fermentation. Brands are using Natto Gum as a moisturizer and soothing ingredient - if you're allergic to soy, you are probably not allergic to fermented soy. Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract and Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract are ingredients from traditional medicine and cuisine. Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter has a wide range of use - people use it to prepare dishes, in medicine, but also cosmetics. It's an emollient which all skin types should love, but oily skin might have a tiny problem with it. It has a mild UV protection (around SPF 3) so it shouldn't be used as a sunscreen. It's great for dry skin and during the winter to protect the skin since it leaves a film on the surface of the skin. It's also a source of vitamins such as Vitamin E and Vitamin A. Vitellaria Paradoxa trees aka shea butter trees can be found in Africa that's why it is so important to use shea butter from brands with Fairtrade certification. Squalane is my favourite ingredient. Squalane is the safest oil you can use on your skin - it shouldn't give any bad reactions to your skin, because it naturally occurs in your sebum. With age we are losing it, that's why we need it. It's a great emollient. Still the most important here is Ceramide 3 aka Ceramide NP.
Illiyoon is a brand from Amore Pacific family, but it's not as popular as Innisfree, Laneige or Sulwhasoo. I'm sad about this because Illiyoon formulas with ceramides (and not only them) are affordable and excellent for sensitive skin care. Amore Pacific collaborated with Aestura to develop new patented ingredients (or I should use word "complex") - including Ceramide Skin Complex which you can find in Ceramide Ato series. Even if amount of Ceramides in this composition isn't large, both me and my mom enjoyed this moisturizer a lot.
Where to buy Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Cure Balm?
Stylevana* - you can use my code to get 10% off INF10KHERB
 "Cosrx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream")
Cosrx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sucrose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil, BeesWax, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil is an oil which you know from your kitchen. It's an emollient and a source of Vitamin E, linoleic acid and oleic acid. Even acne-prone skin can use it. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient. It's a combination of coconut oil and glycerin which makes mild, gentle and delicate emollient. It thickens the formula, but it also makes skin feel smooth in touch. Cetearyl Alcohol even if sounds bit scary, it's good alcohol. It's oil-soluble fatty alcohol. It's a great emollient and emulsifier. Betaine is derived from sugar beets. It's an amino acid that keeps your skin moist and you might want to use it in your haircare routine. 1,2-Hexanediol is a solvent. Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate are nothing else than Olivem 1000. It's a natural emulsifier. Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil and Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil are emollients. Beeswax or Cire D'abeille (or Cera Alba) is a non-vegan (and vegetarian) friendly emollient. Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer or Sepinov EMT 10 is a thickener with emulsifying properties. Cyclomethicone is not only an emollient, humectant and thickener but also a silicone. I'm aware that because of the internet, people treat silicones like the worst ingredients you can find in the product. But are they as bad as people say? No! Silicones are good for the skin since they work as occlusives - what they do is protect the skin from dehydration. Cyclomethicone is a volatile silicone, which means that once you apply it on the surface of your skin, it will evaporate. It won't get absorbed by the skin, that's why you shouldn't be scared. If you're allergic then the good news is that the chance of getting allergic reactions to silicones is very rare. Niacinamide is a miracle ingredient, it does lots of great work. Having problems with dark spots? Try Niacinamide! Acne? Niacinamide will be good for you too! Problems with skin barrier? Solve it with Niacinamide! Wrinkles? You might want to try Niacinamide as well. Sensitive skin might find Niacinamide bit problematic when it's mixed with Vitamin C or used in the same routine as Vitamin C, but I can't deny Niacinamide is a skincare treasure! Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid and Madecassic Acid are related to Centella Asiatica, they help with wound healing. Cassia Obtusifolia or Senna Obtusifolia is a legume. It's quite common in traditional medicine. People believe that Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil - is an essential oil. It's a phototoxic substance that's why you shouldn't use it if you plan to sunbathe. I would recommend to be careful with this substance during the summer. It might have a nice scent, but some people are allergic to it and if you're pregnant - it's good to avoid it.
It's more expensive than illiyoon, but still both me and my mom enjoyed it a lot! If you follow me on Instagram or Picky then you know that I always recommend it for your parents or people with rosacea since it's one of the products that didn't sensitize my mom's skin even if it has essential oil.
Where to buy Cosrx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream?
Yesstyle* - use my promocode BETWEENDOTS | Stylekorean* | Stylevana* - you can use my code to get 10% off INF10KHERB
 "Urang Rose Ceramide Cream")
Urang Rose Ceramide Cream
Rosa Damascena Flower Water (33%)*, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Betaine, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Ceramide NP (1500ppm), Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil (20mg) (*Organic ingredient)
Instead of water, the base here is Rosa Damascena Flower Water. Seeing the ingredients I would say it's water in oil formula. You can actually see how much rose water was used in this formula - 33%. If you thought that you won't see clean Water here - there's clean Water as well but in a smaller amount than rose water. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient just like Glyceryl Stearate SE. The SE part of this ingredient stands for Self-emulsifying. My personal problem with this ingredient is that my skin doesn't like it, it's high in comedogenic rankings but even if such rankings aren't accurate my skin still reacts to it. Glycerin is a moisturizer which I'm sure you already know well, it's the most basic but also one of the best moisturizing ingredients you can use. Betaine is an amino acid but also a good humectant. Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil is a source of vitamin A and E. It leaves an oily feeling on the skin and when we look carefully we can find out that it contains more oleic acid than linoleic acid so acne-prone skin might have problems with it. Cetearyl Alcohol and Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter are both emollients. You might know Shea Butter because it's an emollient used mostly for dry skin and hair. It's also a base for body butters. Is there anyone who doesn't like ferments?
This product won't fit everyone - if you're allergic to rose or you have oily skin, it might not be a choice for you, but this formula is great for winter and its organic so if you search for eco/bio solutions in K-beauty then you might want to check this one.
Have you ever tried Biotherm? What's your favourite Ceramide cream?
**This post contains affiliate links (*) - you don't have to use them, but I would be thankful if you can use my links and promocodes - they help me pay for domain and all cost related to blogging and sharing posts and photos with you. Biotherm Cera Repair Barrier Cream - PR/Gifted ***
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