CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus La Roche-Posay Hydraphase HA Light Hyaluronic Acid Face Moisturizer

CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus La Roche-Posay Hydraphase HA Light Hyaluronic Acid Face Moisturizer

This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Dimethicone

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Panthenol

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Cholesterol

Phenoxyethanol

Disodium EDTA

Isopropyl Myristate

Caprylyl Glycol

Citric Acid

Xanthan Gum

Phytosphingosine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Lauroyl Lysine

C15-19 Alkane

Myristyl Myristate

Stearic Acid

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Myristic Acid

Palmitic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Capryloyl Glycine

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lauroyl Lysine, C15-19 Alkane, Myristyl Myristate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Parfum

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.

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is a polymer made from ammonium salts. It works as a thickener, emulsifier, and texture enhancer that gives gel-creams a silky, lightweight feel.

This ingredient is versatile and low-maintenance so manufacturers love working with it.

Typical usage levels in cosmetics are usually low and in the range of 0.015 - 2.3%.

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).

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.

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.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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.

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