IMAGE skincare AGELESS Total Pure Hyaluronic 6 Filler Versus Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%

IMAGE skincare AGELESS Total Pure Hyaluronic 6 Filler Versus Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%

This hydrating treatment is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Polysorbate 20

Sodium Hyaluronate

Phenoxyethanol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Limonene

Ethylhexylglycerin

Panthenol

Sodium Hydroxide

Pentylene Glycol

Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Tocopheryl Acetate

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Water, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Glycerin

Propanediol

Apricot Kernel Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters

Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Magnolol

Kaempferol

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Glycolipids

Glycine Soja Sterols

Sorbitan Palmate

Potassium Sorbate

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Xanthan Gum

Hexylene Glycol

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Apricot Kernel Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Magnolol, Kaempferol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Palmate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol

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.

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.

It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.

Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.

Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.

Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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