Dermalogica Circular Hydration Serum Versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Dermalogica Circular Hydration Serum Versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This hydrating serum is formulated around Panthenol and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

PEG-8

Glycerin

Methylpropanediol

Propanediol

PPG-24-Glycereth-24

1,2-Hexanediol

Xylitylglucoside

Butylene Glycol

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Panthenol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Lactic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Santalum Album Oil

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Gigartina Stellata Extract

Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Cupressus Sempervirens Oil

Cistus Ladaniferus Leaf/Stem Extract

Juniperus Virginiana Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil

Rosa Damascena Flower

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium PCA

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitol

Polyglutamic Acid

Lactobacillus Ferment

Lysine Hcl

Betaine

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Lactate

PCA

Glucose

Serine

Alanine

Glycine

Silanetriol

Pantolactone

Glutamic Acid

Threonine

Arginine

Proline

Xanthan Gum

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Citric Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Amylopectin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Limonene

Linalool

Water, PEG-8, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Propanediol, PPG-24-Glycereth-24, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xylitylglucoside, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lactic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Gigartina Stellata Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Cistus Ladaniferus Leaf/Stem Extract, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Polyglutamic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lysine Hcl, Betaine, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Glucose, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Silanetriol, Pantolactone, Glutamic Acid, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Amylopectin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool

Phenoxyethanol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Carbomer

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.

Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.

The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.

The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.

A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

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:

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 Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.

This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.

High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.

Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.

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!

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