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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence versus Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on April 01, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens or parabens

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

Essence South Korean Brand South Korea
Serum American Brand United States

Essence

Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.

Serum

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

Price

Shop

Buy Water Bank Hydro Essence

Starts at $34.50
Shop

Buy B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum

Starts at $49.00

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

Vitamin C
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid (2)

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (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: 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

Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence contains this as ingredient number 5.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence contains this as ingredient number 18.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.

3
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence contains this as ingredient number 24.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

4
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

Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence contains this as ingredient number 26.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 25.

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

28% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
42% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet
50% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
25% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence 36 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 2 ratings
TaylorForman_1's avatar

TaylorForman_1

9 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

HOLY GRAIL Essence
This used to be my holy grail product. It jump started me into my research of Korean skincare methods. I love the ingredients...

HOLY GRAIL Essence
This used to be my holy grail product. It jump started me into my research of Korean skincare methods. I love the ingredients and miss the product. Unfortunately discontinued. I have been searching for something similar that matches the ingredients. Perfect for my acne prone skin. This helped me to start building my skin barrier and cleaned up dark spots and acne with regular use.

If anyone has an equivalent please let me know.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum 28 ingredients

3.7 /5
from 3 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Expensive (1) Hydrating (1)
Lapaki's avatar

Lapaki

1 year ago · Dry Skin
Review

Great vitamin B serum
This hydrating serum contains vitamin B (B3 niacinamide and B5 panthenol / pantothenic acid), an antioxidant that nourishes...

Great vitamin B serum
This hydrating serum contains vitamin B (B3 niacinamide and B5 panthenol / pantothenic acid), an antioxidant that nourishes skin and treats several signs of ageing. It's also filled with pineapple ceramides, a lentil-apple-and-watermelon complex, and other nourishing ingredients. Regular use results in smoother, plumper, and brighter skin. The serum works very well for my dry skin, doesn't pill with other products, is scentless, has a great consistency, and is fantastic to mix with other DE products into "smoothies" instead of layering. Will continue using it in my winter routines / colder months, when I use DE products the most. [Edited]

Schadua's avatar

Schadua

1 month ago · Dry Skin
Review

I mean, it is great, maybe for dry skin not enough hydration. It didn’t cause me breakouts or irritation, but overall, it’s okay. However, for the...

I mean, it is great, maybe for dry skin not enough hydration. It didn’t cause me breakouts or irritation, but overall, it’s okay. However, for the price, there are definitely better options. It does what it’s supposed to do.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 5 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum.

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