Skin science article
CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Vichy Liftactiv Supreme Serum 10
CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Vichy Liftactiv Supreme Serum 10 This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sodium Hyalu
CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Vichy Liftactiv Supreme Serum 10
This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles 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
Rhamnose
Cyclohexasiloxane
Alcohol Denat.
Butylene Glycol
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Octyldodecanol
Polysilicone-11
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
BHT
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Adenosine
Poloxamer 338
Tocopherol
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Laureth-7
T-Butyl Alcohol
Polyacrylamide
Parfum
Water, Rhamnose, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Octyldodecanol, Polysilicone-11, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, BHT, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Poloxamer 338, Disodium EDTA, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tocopherol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Laureth-7, T-Butyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, Parfum, Ceramide AP
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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).
Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
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%.
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!