Skin science article
Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5% Versus Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum
Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5% Versus Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum This hydrating serum is formulated around Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This barrier-repair serum is formula
Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5% Versus Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum
This hydrating serum is formulated around Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Beta-Glucan to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Propanediol
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Apricot Kernel Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Caprylyl Glycol
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Magnolol
Kaempferol
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Glycolipids
Glycine Soja Sterols
Tocopheryl Acetate
Phenoxyethanol
Sorbitan Palmate
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Hydroxide
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Xanthan Gum
Hexylene Glycol
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Apricot Kernel Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Magnolol, Kaempferol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Palmate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Squalane
Beta-Glucan
Lysolecithin
Sclerotium Gum
Pullulan
Ceramide NP
Ceramide Ns
Ceramide AP
Ceramide Eos
Ceramide EOP
Sodium Levulinate
Sodium Anisate
Tocopherol
Cetyl Alcohol
Ceteareth-25
Silica
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Cholesterol
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Glyceryl Caprylate
Sodium Benzoate
Ethylhexylglycerin
1,2-Hexanediol
Citric Acid
Behenic Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Beta-Glucan, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-25, Silica, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Cholesterol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Behenic 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.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
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!
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.