Skin science article
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Versus Glow Recipe Pomegranate Peptide Firming Serum
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Versus Glow Recipe Pomegranate Peptide Firming Serum This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract to brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging serum is formulate
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Versus Glow Recipe Pomegranate Peptide Firming Serum
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract to brighten dull-looking skin.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Copper Tripeptide-1 and Punica Granatum Fruit Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propanediol
Glycereth-26
Glycerin
Niacinamide
2,3-Butanediol
1,2-Hexanediol
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Tromethamine
Glyceryl Stearate
Carbomer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Xanthan Gum
Polyquaternium-51
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Parfum
Benzyl Benzoate
Water, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 2,3-Butanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-51, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate
Acacia Senegal Gum
Pullulan
Squalane
Copper Tripeptide-1
Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Tocopherol
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Elastin
Bidens Pilosa Extract
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Enteromorpha Compressa Extract
Engelhardtia Chrysolepis Leaf Extract
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Trihydroxystearin
Dilauryl Citrate
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Rhizobian Gum
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Sorbitan Laurate
Glucomannan
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Sorbate
Citric Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Acacia Senegal Gum, Pullulan, Squalane, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Elastin, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Engelhardtia Chrysolepis Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Trihydroxystearin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dilauryl Citrate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Rhizobian Gum, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sorbitan Laurate, Glucomannan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
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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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
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:
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.
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!