PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum Versus StriVectin Hydration Multiplier Hyaluronic Acid Serum

PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum Versus StriVectin Hydration Multiplier Hyaluronic Acid Serum

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Coconut Alkanes

Phenoxyethanol

Isododecane

Jojoba Esters

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Polysilicone-11

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Benzoate

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Cetyl Alcohol

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate

Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Hexylene Glycol

Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract

Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Aroma

Polyglucuronic Acid

Ceramide NP

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Carrageenan

Ceramide AP

Phytosphingosine

Caprylyl Glycol

Cholesterol

Lecithin

Maris Sal

Ceramide EOP

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Coconut Alkanes, Phenoxyethanol, Isododecane, Jojoba Esters, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Aroma, Polyglucuronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Carrageenan, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Cholesterol, Lecithin, Maris Sal, Ceramide EOP

Pentylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Squalane

Behenyl Alcohol

Isopentyldiol

Myristyl Nicotinate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Saccharide Isomerate

Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate

Undecane

Vegetable Oil

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Bacillus/Sea Salt Ferment Filtrate

Polyglutamic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Glyceryl Caprylate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Ceramide Ag

Tridecane

Ceramide Ng

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Spirodela Polyrhiza Extract

Triheptanoin

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Pullulan

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Bisabolol

C9-12 Alkane

Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Allantoin

Chlorphenesin

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Parfum

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Dipropylene Glycol

Glyceryl Stearate

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

Tocopherol

1,2-Hexanediol

Polysorbate 20

Panthenol

Sclerotium Gum

Silica

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Limonene

Linalool

Benzyl Salicylate

Geraniol

Citronellol

Water, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Behenyl Alcohol, Isopentyldiol, Myristyl Nicotinate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Saccharide Isomerate, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Glycerin, Undecane, Vegetable Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Bacillus/Sea Salt Ferment Filtrate, Ceramide AP, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ag, Tridecane, Ceramide Ng, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Spirodela Polyrhiza Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triheptanoin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Pullulan, Lecithin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Bisabolol, C9-12 Alkane, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Parfum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cholesterol, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 20, Panthenol, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Citronellol

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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.

Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.

You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.

The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.

Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.

Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.

It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.

EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.

What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).

Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.

Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.

In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.

You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic use.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

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.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.

Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.

The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.

The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.

A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

We don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans yet.

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.

It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.

Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.

Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.

Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

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.

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:

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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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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