Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum versus The Ordinary "Buffet" .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on September 24, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 14 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and peptides
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum 96 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum 96 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum 96 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Water • Butylene Glycol • Methyl Gluceth-20 • Peg-75 • Alcohol Denat. • Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane • Algae Extract • Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil • Medicago Sativa Seed Powder • Helianthus Annuus Seedcake • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal • Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil • Sodium Gluconate • Copper Gluconate • Calcium Gluconate • Glycine • Zinc Gluconate • Tocopheryl Succinate • Niacin • Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder • Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract • Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract • Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract • Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract • Citrus Medica Vulgaris Fruit Extract • Yeast Extract • Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract • Helichrysum Arenarium Extract • Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract • Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract • Humulus Lupulus Extract • Palmaria Palmata Extract • Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract • Asparagopsis Armata Extract • Chlorella Vulgaris Extract • Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil • Glycerin • Oleth-5 • Citrus Grandis Peel Oil • Laminaria Saccharina Extract • Punica Granatum Fruit Juice • Glycereth-26 • Saccharomyces Lysate Extract • Crithmum Maritimum Extract • Laminaria Digitata Extract • Bifida Ferment Lysate • Peg-8 • Squalane • Linoleic Acid • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Micrococcus Lysate • Oleth-10 Phosphate • Sorbitol • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride • Tourmaline • Sucrose • Caffeine • Lecithin • Coenzyme A • Acetyl Glucosamine • Linolenic Acid • Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 • Styrene/Vp Copolymer • Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Tetraacetylphytosphingosine • Methyldihydrojasmonate • Choleth-24 • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Ceteth-24 • Sodium Hyaluronate • Hexylene Glycol • Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters • Sodium Benzoate • Sodium Lactate • Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil • Potassium Sorbate • Lavandula Angustifolia Oil • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Octadecenedioic Acid • Carbomer • Sodium PCA • Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid • Ergothioneine • Sodium Hydroxide • Xanthan Gum • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Disodium EDTA • BHA • Phenoxyethanol • Linalyl Acetate • Linalool • Limonene • CI 14700 • CI 19140 • CI 17200
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
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 37.
Glycine is an amino acid that helps build proteins. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.
Glycine helps keep skin hydrated and reduce signs of aging. Amino acids help transport moisture throughout our skin; glycine already plays a role in helping keep our skin moisturized.
As collagen is made up of glycine and other amino acids, it is believed Glycine may help our skin produce more collagen. Collagen helps keep skin plump and firm.
Learn more about GlycineLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 14.
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 GlycerinLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 38.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 2.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 55.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 48.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a peptide. A common name for this peptide is Argireline.
Argireline has a similar function to botox. It prevents muscle movement and contractions. By preventing muscles from moving, Argireline also prohibits the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. However, research is lacking in proving this ingredient to be as effective as botox.
Argireline tells our body to create more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Acetyl Hexapeptide-8La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 64.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 4.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 72.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 12.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 75.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 47.
Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and used to adjust the pH of a product.
Sodium Lactate is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin.
It also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
Our NMF is formed from amino acids, lactic acid, sugars, minerals, peptides, and electrolytes. As we age, our NMF naturally depletes. Other sources of NMF depletion include harsh and drying ingredients such as denatured alcohol. Sodium lactate can help replenish our NMF, leading to more hydrated and plump skin.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 76.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 32.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 82.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 41.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
Sodium PCA is a has conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCALa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 83.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 30.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 86.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 36.
Xanthan 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.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan 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.
Learn more about Xanthan GumLa Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 87.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 40.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum contains this as ingredient number 91.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 50.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum 96 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Usage
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When to use
La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum 96 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Reviews
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La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum 96 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 7 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Mer The Lifting Contour Serum.
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