La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum Versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum Versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Butylene Glycol

Methyl Gluceth-20

PEG-75

Alcohol Denat.

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Algae Extract

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Medicago Sativa Seed Powder

Helianthus Annuus Seedcake

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Sodium Gluconate

Copper Gluconate

Calcium Gluconate

Magnesium Gluconate

Zinc Gluconate

Tocopheryl Succinate

Niacin

Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder

Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract

Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Faex Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Helichrysum Arenarium Extract

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Humulus Lupulus Extract

Palmaria Palmata Extract

Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract

Asparagopsis Armata Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil

Glycerin

Oleth-5

Citrus Grandis Peel Oil

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Punica Granatum Fruit Juice

Glycereth-26

Saccharomyces Lysate Extract

Crithmum Maritimum Extract

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Bifida Ferment Lysate

PEG-8

Squalane

Linoleic Acid

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Micrococcus Lysate

Oleth-10 Phosphate

Sorbitol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride

Tourmaline

Sucrose

Caffeine

Lecithin

Coenzyme A

Acetyl Glucosamine

Linolenic Acid

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Styrene/Vp Copolymer

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Tetraacetylphytosphingosine

Methyldihydrojasmonate

Choleth-24

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Ceteth-24

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hexylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Lactate

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Potassium Sorbate

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Octadecenedioic Acid

Carbomer

Sodium PCA

Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid

Ergothioneine

Sodium Hydroxide

Xanthan Gum

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Disodium EDTA

BHT

Phenoxyethanol

Linalyl Acetate

Linalool

Limonene

CI 14700

CI 19140

CI 17200

Butylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-75, Alcohol Denat., Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Algae Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Faex Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Helichrysum Arenarium Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil, Glycerin, Oleth-5, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Juice, Glycereth-26, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, PEG-8, Squalane, Linoleic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Micrococcus Lysate, Oleth-10 Phosphate, Sorbitol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Tourmaline, Sucrose, Caffeine, Lecithin, Coenzyme A, Acetyl Glucosamine, Linolenic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Choleth-24, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ceteth-24, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lactate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Octadecenedioic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium PCA, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Ergothioneine, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Linalyl Acetate, Linalool, Limonene, CI 14700, CI 19140, CI 17200

Water

Propanediol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hyaluronic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

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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.

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.

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.

Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.

This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.

High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.

Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.

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