The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Versus The INKEY List Bakuchiol Moisturizer

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Versus The INKEY List Bakuchiol Moisturizer Detailed comparison of The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA versus The INKEY List Bakuchiol Moisturizer. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Arginine to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Bakuchiol and Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cetyl Alcohol Propanediol Stearyl Alcohol Glycerin Sodium Hyaluronate Arginine Aspartic Acid Glycine Alanine Serine Valine Isoleucine Proline Threonine Histidine Phenylalanine Glucose Maltose Fructose Trehalose Sodium PCA PCA Sodium Lactate Urea Allantoin Linoleic Acid Oleic Acid Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides Palmitic Acid Stearic Acid Lecithin Triolein Tocopherol Carbomer Isoceteth-20 Polysorbate 60 Sodium Chloride Citric Acid Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Pentylene Glycol Triethanolamine Sodium Hydroxide Phenoxyethanol Chlorphenesin Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Triolein, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin Squalane Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil Dicaprylyl Carbonate Bakuchiol Sodium Caproyl Prolinate Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate Phytic Acid Glyceryl Polyacrylate Sorbitan Isostearate Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Bakuchiol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Caproyl Prolinate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polysorbate 60, Phytic Acid, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 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. 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 w