Laneige Fresh Calming Balancing Serum Versus Mac Cosmetics Hyper Real Serumizer Skin Balancing Hydration Serum
This calming serum is formulated around Panthenol to calm redness and hydrate skin.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide Ng to hydrate skin and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sea Water
HumectantPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Litchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicCholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Algae Extract
EmollientSaccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
PEG-8
HumectantSucrose
Humectant
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingOleth-10
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
Surfactant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTromethamine
BufferingDi-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Trisiloxane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Trehalose, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ng, Linoleic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Algae Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Caffeine, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitol, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, PEG-8, Sucrose, T-Butyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Oleth-10, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Sodium Hydroxide, Tromethamine, Di-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride, Silica, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, CI 77891, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Mica, Caprylyl Glycol, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer 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.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
