Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum Versus SK-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum

Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum Versus SK-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum

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

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Potassium Sorbate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Water, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Glycerin

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate

Niacinamide

Pentylene Glycol

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Isopropyl Isostearate

Dimethicone

Squalane

Xylitol

Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Boron Nitride

Panthenol

PEG-20 Sorbitan Cocoate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate

PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone

Aminomethyl Propanol

Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract

Laureth-7

Methylparaben

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

PEG-100 Stearate

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract

Parfum

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract

Polyquaternium-7

Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Methylsilanol Tri-PEG-8 Glyceryl Cocoate

Methicone

CI 77891

CI 77492

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Squalane, Xylitol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Boron Nitride, Panthenol, PEG-20 Sorbitan Cocoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Aminomethyl Propanol, Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract, Laureth-7, Methylparaben, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Methylsilanol Tri-PEG-8 Glyceryl Cocoate, Methicone, CI 77891, CI 77492

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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.

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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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