Skin science article
L'Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum Concentrate
L'Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum Concentrate This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to hydrate skin and soften the look of
L'Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum Concentrate
This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Trehalose to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
PEG-60
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Calcium Pantothenate
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Disodium EDTA
Pentylene Glycol
Phenoxyethanol
Chlorphenesin
Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Calcium Pantothenate, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Alcohol Denat.
Butylene Glycol
PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether
Triethylhexanoin
Cyclohexasiloxane
Dimethicone
Trehalose
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
PEG-14m
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Parfum
Potassium Hydroxide
Silica
Isoceteth-10
Linalool
Lauryl Betaine
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Geraniol
Citronellol
Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract
Nelumbo Nucifera Germ Extract
Alcohol
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
BHT
Thymus Serpyllum Extract
Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
Sodium Bicarbonate
Iris Florentina Root Extract
Sodium Benzoate
Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract
Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, Triethylhexanoin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Trehalose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-14m, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Silica, Isoceteth-10, Linalool, Lauryl Betaine, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Geraniol, Citronellol, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Germ Extract, Alcohol, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, BHT, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Sodium Bicarbonate, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract
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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.
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%.
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.
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!