Skin science article
The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA +BHA Pore-Tight Toner
The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA +BHA Pore-Tight Toner This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This pore-care toner is formulat
The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA +BHA Pore-Tight Toner
This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This pore-care toner is formulated around Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract and Gluconolactone to refine the look of pores and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propanediol
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Phenoxyethanol
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Hyaluronic Acid
Carbomer
Sodium Lactate
Polysorbate 20
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Water, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Gluconolactone
Sodium Polyglutamate
Betaine Salicylate
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Lactobacillus/Watermelon Fruit Ferment Extract
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract
Sorbitan Oleate
Levulinic Acid
Sodium Levulinate
Parfum
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Polyglutamate, Betaine Salicylate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Lactobacillus/Watermelon Fruit Ferment Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Parfum
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.
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: