Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Torriden Dive-In Low-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Arencia Deep Water Surge Serum 30

Torriden Dive-In Low-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Arencia Deep Water Surge Serum 30 This hydrating serum is formulated around Panthenol and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This hydrating serum is formulated

Torriden Dive-In Low-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus Arencia Deep Water Surge Serum 30

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Panthenol

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Allantoin

Ectoin

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

2,3-Butanediol

Trehalose

Betaine

Propanediol

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract

Madecassoside

Madecassic Acid

Ceramide NP

Beta-Glucan

Malachite Extract

Cholesterol

Pentylene Glycol

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Pvm/Ma Copolymer

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Xanthan Gum

Tromethamine

Carbomer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Ectoin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, 2,3-Butanediol, Trehalose, Betaine, Propanediol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Ceramide NP, Beta-Glucan, Malachite Extract, Cholesterol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Niacinamide

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Arginine

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Oryza Sativa Lees Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Extract

Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Extract

Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate

Adenosine

Dextrin

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Glycine

Serine

Glutamic Acid

Asparagine

Squalane

Hydrolyzed DNA

Aspartic Acid

Leucine

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Glycosphingolipids

Alanine

Lysine

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Tyrosine

Phenylalanine

Potassium Hyaluronate

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Threonine

Proline

Valine

Isoleucine

Disodium EDTA

Histidine

Methionine

Cysteine

Glutamine

Tryptophan

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Oligopeptide-1

Oligopeptide-2

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Hexapeptide-9

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Adenosine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Panthenol, Betaine, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Glycine, Ceramide NP, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Asparagine, Squalane, Hydrolyzed DNA, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glycosphingolipids, Alanine, Lysine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Threonine, Proline, Valine, Isoleucine, Disodium EDTA, Histidine, Methionine, Cysteine, Glutamine, Tryptophan, Pentylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hexapeptide-9

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer is made up of glycerin and polyacrylic acid. It helps hydrate your skin as a humectant.

This ingredient forms a hydrogel that delivers moisturizing, water-based ingredients to the skin. It is also used to thicken a product and to give it a smooth texture.

Acrylic acid itself is toxic, but the polymer form (this ingredient) is too large to penetrate skin, making it non-toxic.

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.

This ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.

You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.

According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:

One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.

Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.

This ingredient is water-soluble.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

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%.

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.

It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.

On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).

Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids.

This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.

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.

PVM/MA Copolymer is a synthetic and high-molecular weight polymer. It is used to create a flexible film that helps ingredients "stick together" on hair or skin. It also helps reduce static, help emulsions behave, and tweaks the thickness and flow of a product.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in hair styling products because that film is what helps styles last.

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.

Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.

Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.

A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.

A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.

More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Water. 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.
  11. 11So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
  12. 12You'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!
  13. 13Xanthan 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.
  14. 14On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
  15. 15Xanthan 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.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

WishCare Hyaluronic Acid Serum

WishCare Hyaluronic Acid Serum WishCare Hyaluronic Acid Serum ingredients explained: Aqua, Propylene Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, D-Panthenol(B5), Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid, Cica Ext, Bisab…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

04

Ask the journal

Related questions

01How to Apply Face Serums

Skincare rules can get confusing, but when it comes to application the general rule of thumb is to pay attention to the product’s consistency. “Apply the lightest, thinnest product first and the heaviest, and more dense products last, since thinner products can’t penetrate thicker products,”says Dr. Lewis. After cleansing the face and following up with a toner, let the skin dry before using a serum. You can layer different serums on top of each other or opt for a product that has a precise mix of multiple hero ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.

Source · www.skincare.com
02When and How to Use Hyaluronic Acid in Your Routine

Products with hyaluronic acid can be used in the morning or at night (or both!). Applying the hydrating ingredient at night will restore your skin’s resilience while you sleep, and applying it in the morning will leave your skin feeling plump, hydrated and ready for makeup. Hyaluronic acid is great at providing topical hydration when it’s introduced into a balanced skincare routine. According to Dr. King, it’s important to pair your hyaluronic acid products with an emollient or occlusive moisturizer to lock in hydration.

Source · www.skincare.com