Skin Inc Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus FARSALI Novelty No.1 Luminous Peptide Serum

Skin Inc Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus FARSALI Novelty No.1 Luminous Peptide Serum

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

This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Carbomer

Algin

Alcaligenes Polysaccharides

Polysorbate 80

Titanium Dioxide

Cobalt Aluminum Oxide

Potassium Hydroxide

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Carbomer, Algin, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides, Polysorbate 80, Titanium Dioxide, Cobalt Aluminum Oxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hexyl Laurate

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Mica

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Amodimethicone

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Calcium Sodium Borosilicate

Benzyl Alcohol

Glucose

Sodium Hydroxide

Silica

Tin Oxide

Iron Oxides

CI 77891

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Hexyl Laurate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Mica, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Amodimethicone, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Benzyl Alcohol, Glucose, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, Tin Oxide, Iron Oxides, CI 77891

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

We don't have a description for Alcaligenes Polysaccharides yet.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

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%.

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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