The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum Versus Nivea Cellular Expert Filler Replumping Hyaluronic Acid Serum

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum Versus Nivea Cellular Expert Filler Replumping Hyaluronic Acid Serum

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Sodium Hyaluronate

Propanediol

Pentylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Phospholipids

Sphingolipids

Panthenol

Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract

Glycerin

Polysorbate 20

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

P-Anisic Acid

Tocopherol

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethoxydiglycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Panthenol, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

Alcohol Denat.

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Cocoglycerides

1,2-Hexanediol

Xanthan Gum

Citronellol

Geraniol

Hexyl Cinnamal

Limonene

Linalool

Benzyl Alcohol

Parfum

Hyaluronic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Cocoglycerides, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Hyaluronic Acid

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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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