Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum Versus Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum Versus Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Beta-Glucan to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This hydrating serum is formulated around So

Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum Versus Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Beta-Glucan to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Squalane

Beta-Glucan

Lysolecithin

Sclerotium Gum

Pullulan

Xanthan Gum

Ceramide NP

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide AP

Ceramide Eos

Ceramide EOP

Sodium Levulinate

Sodium Anisate

Tocopherol

Cetyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ceteareth-25

Silica

Caprooyl Phytosphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Cholesterol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Glyceryl Caprylate

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Citric Acid

Behenic Acid

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Beta-Glucan, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-25, Silica, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Cholesterol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Behenic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Citrate

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol

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.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

AOA Skin Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid SerumIngredients explained

  1. 01Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product.
  2. 02It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.
  3. 03Expand to read more
  4. 04Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin (hello long baths!) is drying.
  5. 05One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized (it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed). Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
  6. 06Works best between a concentration of 5-20%
  7. 07Boosts the skin’s own collagen production
  8. 08Fades pigmentation and brown spots
  9. 09If used under sunscreen it boosts its UV protection
  10. 10Extremely unstable and oxidizes very easily in presence of light or air
  11. 11Stable in solutions with water only if pH is less than 3.5 or in waterless formulations
  12. 12Vit E + C work in synergy and provide superb photoprotection
  13. 13Ferulic acid doubles the photoprotection effect of Vit C+E and helps to stabilize Vit C
  14. 14Potent Vit. C serums might cause a slight tingling on sensitive skin
  15. 15A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  16. 16A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
  17. 17Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
  18. 18Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
  19. 19High-glycerin moisturizers are awesome for treating severely dry skin
  20. 20A sugar beet-derived amino acid derivative with nice skin protection and moisturization properties. Betaine's special thing is being an osmolyte, a molecule that helps to control cell-water balance. It is also a natural osmoprotectant, meaning that …
Source · incidecoder.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

04

Ask the journal

Related questions

01Is Serum Good for All Skin Types?

Serums are a form of skincare that can be added to any routine no matter what your skin type is. All skin types can benefit from the use of a serum since there are so many different formulations that can target specific skincare concerns. “Serums are used for hydration,to aid [or] maintain the skin barrier, or treat skin issues like acne or rosacea,” says Dr. Lewis. The type of serum that you may use should depend on the skin issue you’re trying to target. Think of serums as a treatment for the skin. “Some serums can reverse damage and help prevent free radicals that cause the signs of aging skin,” adds Dr. Lewis.

Source · www.skincare.com
02What Skin Types Should Use Hyaluronic Acid?

“Hyaluronic acid is particularly helpful for those experiencing dry skin, and for those desiring a plumping effect,” explains Dr. King. But, if you have an oily skin type, don’t discredit hyaluronic acid from your routine just yet. Despite the excess sebum that you may experience, it’s important to keep your skin hydrated so that it doesn’t overcompensate and produce even more oil as a result. Besides your skin type, you should also look at the condition of your skin to decide if it’s time to begin using hyaluronic acid. “If your skin is starting to look dull, flaky and you’re seeing more pronounced fine lines and wrinkles, that’s a pretty good indication that it’s time to add this ingredient to your routine,” adds O’Conner.

Source · www.skincare.com