L'Oreal Revitalift Filler 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel

L'Oreal Revitalift Filler 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Disodium EDTA

Secale Cereale Seed Extract

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Calcium Pantothenate

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Pentylene Glycol

Benzyl Alcohol

Benzyl Benzoate

Benzyl Salicylate

Citronellol

Linalool

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Disodium EDTA, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Calcium Pantothenate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Linalool, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum

Niacinamide

Propanediol

Dimethicone

Isononyl Isononanoate

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Triethyl Citrate

Silica

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Cholesterol

Tocopherol

Caprylyl Glycol

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Xanthan Gum

Phytosphingosine

Benzoic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid

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.

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

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.

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!

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