Isntree Gim PDRN Hydro Bouncy Ampoule Versus Isntree Ultra-Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Isntree Gim PDRN Hydro Bouncy Ampoule Versus Isntree Ultra-Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Adenosine and Sodium DNA to soften the look of wrinkles.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Pentylene Glycol

Betaine

Carbomer

Methylpropanediol

Tromethamine

Sodium Polyacrylate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Porphyra Yezoensis Extract

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Potentilla Anserina Extract

Polyquaternium-51

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Beta-Glucan

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

Sodium DNA

Sodium Hyaluronate

Maltodextrin

Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract

Tocopherol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Propanediol

Allantoin

Squalane

Lactobacillus Ferment

Sucrose Distearate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Collagen

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Codium Fragile Extract

Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Potassium Hyaluronate

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Carbomer, Methylpropanediol, Tromethamine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Porphyra Yezoensis Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Potentilla Anserina Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Beta-Glucan, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Sodium DNA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Allantoin, Squalane, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sucrose Distearate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Collagen, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Codium Fragile Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate

Sea Water

Caprylyl Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Panthenol

Malachite Extract

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Glyceryl Glucoside

Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Calcium Hyaluronate

Sodium Sulfated Hyaluronate

Madecassoside

Sodium Stearoyl Hyaluronate

Sodium Oleoyl Hyaluronate

Sea Water, Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Malachite Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Calcium Hyaluronate, Sodium Sulfated Hyaluronate, Madecassoside, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Stearoyl Hyaluronate, Sodium Oleoyl Hyaluronate

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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

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.

It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.

On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin

The more interesting story is underneath:

Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.

A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.

It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.

This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.

Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

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:

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.

This ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.

You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.

According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:

One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.

Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.

This ingredient is water-soluble.

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate is a positively charged version of hyaluronic acid.

This small change does a lot in a formula:

Regular hyaluronic acid carries a negative charge and so does the surface of your skin. This means the two repel each other and hyaluronic acid can be washed away easily. The positive charge here does the opposite: it makes the ingredient cling to your skin (also called "substantivity") so it keeps hydrating even in rinse-off products where it lays down a light, moisture-holding film.

The research backs this up too; a 2025 clinical study on a shower gel containing 0.1% positively charged hyaluronic acid increased skin hydration by 6.6% versus the baseline and 11.1% versus the placebo. This was measured 6 hours after 1 minute of contact and rinse, and on volunteers with very dry skin.

The same team's lab work showed it adhered to skin far better than unmodified hyaluronic acid (+107% vs. low molecular weight, +23% versus high molecular weight). They also found it increased two proteins tied to skin hydration, aquaporin-3 by 16% and filaggrin by 35%.

A separate 2024 study reached a similar conclusion and credited the hydrating benefits to its film-forming properties.

Both studies used the ingredient at 0.1% which also matches how much it usually shows up in products (at fractions of a percent).

One honesty note worth keeping in mind: the published research comes from the company that manufactures the ingredient so independent data would strengthen the picture. However, the results are consistent and the mechanism makes sense.

As a Hyaluronic Acid derivative, it has a well-tolerated profile and suits most skin types.

Methylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.

As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.

Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

Potassium hyaluronate (PH) is a salt form of hyaluronic acid and has similar skin hydrating benefits.

Similar to hyaluronic acid, PH is able to draw and hold moisture to your skin. This helps keep skin soft and hydrated.

Fun fact: PH is used in eye drops and injectable treatments for joint disorders. It has lubricating and tissue-repair properties.

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.

Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.

Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:

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 Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.

A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.

A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.

More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.

Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.

It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.

This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.

Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.

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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