Nivea Cellular Expert Lift 3-Zone Lifting Serum Versus Eqqualberry Bakuchiol Plumping Serum

Nivea Cellular Expert Lift 3-Zone Lifting Serum Versus Eqqualberry Bakuchiol Plumping Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Alcohol Denat.

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Bakuchiol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Creatine

1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide

1,2-Hexanediol

Xanthan Gum

Citric Acid

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Sulfate

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

CI 16035

CI 15985

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Creatine, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 16035, CI 15985

Butylene Glycol

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Niacinamide

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Pentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate

Diethoxyethyl Succinate

Betaine

Ceramide NP

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Cetearyl Alcohol

Squalane

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Panthenol

Carbomer

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Tromethamine

Allantoin

Ethylhexylglycerin

2,3-Butanediol

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan

Glyceryl Stearate

Dipropylene Glycol

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract

Sodium Lactate

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide As

Ceramide AP

Cholesterol

Salvia Officinalis Oil

Polysorbate 20

Octyldodecanol

Methylpropanediol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Potassium Hyaluronate

Astaxanthin

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Soluble Collagen

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Copper Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Oligopeptide-32

Oligopeptide-29

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Ceramide EOP

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Oligopeptide-6

Hexapeptide-9

Nonapeptide-1

Limonene

Linalool

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Betaine, Ceramide NP, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Bakuchiol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, 2,3-Butanediol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Glyceryl Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Sodium Lactate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Polysorbate 20, Octyldodecanol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Methylpropanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Astaxanthin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Oligopeptide-32, Oligopeptide-29, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Ceramide EOP, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Oligopeptide-6, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Limonene, Linalool

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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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.

You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:

1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV) 2) activate the same genes retinoids do

Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).

The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.

Systematic reviews also back this up:

Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.

The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.

This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.

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.

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate comes from Capric Acid and Polyglycerin-4. It is an emulsifier.

Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. They do this by preventing ingredients from separating, such as oils and water which do not mix naturally.

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!

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.

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