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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum versus Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum .

Last updated on September 11, 2023. Published on October 10, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, BHA, niacinamide and PHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Ampoule South Korean Brand South Korea
Serum South Korean Brand South Korea

Ampoule

Ampoules are created to target one area of concern. They are usually highly concentrated with active or beneficial ingredients.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum

Starts at $21.60
Shop

Buy Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum

Starts at $13.73

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
PHA (2)
Vitamin C
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA (2)
BHA
PHA
Exfoliators
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (3)
Reduces Large Pores (4)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 24.

3
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.

5
What it does: Solvent

We don't have a description for Diethoxyethyl Succinate.

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs have a larger structure than AHAs and BHAs and are more gentle. It is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.

When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This helps improve texture and brightens the skin.

Gluconolactone is a humectant and helps draw moisture to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.

PHAs also exhibit antioxidant activity by neutralizing free-radical molecules. This can help with anti-aging.

In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells. However, we still recommend wearing SPF especially after using exfoliating ingredients.

Learn more about Gluconolactone

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

7
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

8
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.

9
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing
Community Rating: Loved

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.

10
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.

In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

11
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum contains this as ingredient number 40.

Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

61% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
15% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet
35% are loved or liked
23% have mixed ratings
31% are disliked or very disliked
12% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 7 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to APLB AHA BHA PHA Glutathione Cica Ampoule Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 43 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Isntree Hyper Acid 4 AHA BHA PHA LHA 30 Serum.

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