Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

The INKEY List Lactic Acid Serum Versus The Ordinary "Buffet"

The INKEY List Lactic Acid Serum Versus The Ordinary "Buffet" Detailed comparison of The INKEY List Lactic Acid Serum Canada versus The Ordinary "Buffet". This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking sk

This source-based comparison does not add ratings or recommend a winner.

The INKEY List Lactic Acid Serum Versus The Ordinary "Buffet" Detailed comparison of The INKEY List Lactic Acid Serum Canada versus The Ordinary "Buffet". This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Lactococcus Ferment Lysate and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles. Water Lactic Acid Propanediol Glycerin Sodium Hydroxide PPG-26-Buteth-26 Sodium Hyaluronate Phenoxyethanol PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Ethylhexylglycerin Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract Water, Lactic Acid, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract Lactococcus Ferment Lysate Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 Pentapeptide-18 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Allantoin Glycine Alanine Serine Valine Isoleucine Proline Threonine Histidine Phenylalanine Arginine Aspartic Acid Trehalose Fructose Glucose Maltose Urea Sodium PCA PCA Sodium Lactate Citric Acid Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin Sodium Chloride Butylene Glycol Pentylene Glycol Acacia Senegal Gum Xanthan Gum Carbomer Polysorbate 20 Ethoxydiglycol Sodium Benzoate Caprylyl Glycol Chlorphenesin Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 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. PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil. As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively. Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface. This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity. A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. 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 fro