PCA Skin Hydrating Serum Versus Wishful Thirst Trap Juice HA3 & Peptide Skincare Serum

PCA Skin Hydrating Serum Versus Wishful Thirst Trap Juice HA3 & Peptide Skincare Serum

This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium PCA and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to hydrate skin and calm redness.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Sodium Polyacrylate

Sodium PCA

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Sodium Lactate

Gluconolactone

Sodium Hyaluronate

Wheat Amino Acids

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Panthenol

Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract

Saccharomyces Lysate Extract

Hydroxyproline

Fructose

Glycine

Inositol

Niacinamide

Urea

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium PCA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Lactate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Wheat Amino Acids, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Panthenol, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Hydroxyproline, Fructose, Glycine, Inositol, Niacinamide, Urea

Methylpropanediol

Dipropylene Glycol

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Althaea Rosea Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides

Caffeine

Adenosine

Allantoin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Phytate

Caprylyl Glycol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Tromethamine

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Pvm/Ma Copolymer

1,2-Hexanediol

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Polysorbate 20

Tocopherol

Parfum

Linalool

Limonene

Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Caffeine, Adenosine, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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!

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