Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate - US Versus L'Oreal 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum
Updated on November 26, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate 24 ingredients
L'Oreal 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum 12 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate 24 ingredients
L'Oreal 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum 12 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Faex Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Octyldodecanol
EmollientCitronellol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, Faex Extract, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Limonene, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodecanol, Citronellol, Parfum
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin 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 GlycerinAlcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Ascorbyl Glucoside is a stable form of Vitamin C. It is created by combining glucose from starch.
When applied to skin, Ascorbyl Glucoside turns into Ascorbic Acid.
Ascorbyl Glucoside is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may damage skin cells.
It can help to reduce redness, improve skin texture, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, and brighten skin.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Ascorbyl GlucosideSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium 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 HydroxideSodium 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.
It 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 BenzoateIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate 24 ingredients
L'Oreal 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum 12 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate 24 ingredients
I've been using this for years and consistently get compliments on my 58 yr old skin
I finished a 30ml bottle of this serum. I liked it because it makes my skin look radiant and healthy. It absorbs quickly and is not greasy at all. However, it doesn't do a good enough job for me when it comes to treating uneven skin tone or dark spots.
L'Oreal 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum 12 ingredients
L'Oreal Revitalift Derm Intensives 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum Review
I really appreciated this serum, I love that it has Ascorbyl Glucoside and Sodium Hyaluronate which are very beneficial to the skin. I also loved that it had Denatured Alcohol because it made this serum feel like an essence when I applied it to my hands. This serum is even gentle enough to use on the lips for some exfoliation Show more
