Minimalist Hyaluronic + PGA 02% Face Serum Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Minimalist Hyaluronic + PGA 02% Face Serum Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Glyceryl Glucoside

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Sodium Polyglutamate

Methyl Gluceth-20

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Trehalose

Sodium Hyaluronate

Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Betaine

Panthenol

Pentylene Glycol

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Ethoxydiglycol

Water, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Polyglutamate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Betaine, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethoxydiglycol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hydroxide

Yeast Extract

Xylitol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Carrageenan

Agar

Potassium Chloride

Xanthan Gum

Ultramarines

Titanium Dioxide

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trehalose, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anhydroxylitol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Yeast Extract, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Carrageenan, Agar, Potassium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Ultramarines, Titanium Dioxide

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.

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.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

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%.

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.

Trehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.

As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.

In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.

Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.

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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