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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% versus Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum .

Published on December 12, 2021

Overview

What they are

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

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid, PHA and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones 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.

Serum American Brand United States
Serum Canadian Brand Canada

Serum

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

Serum

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

Price

Shop

Buy PHA Topical Acid 12%

Starts at $20.00
Shop

Buy Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum

Starts at $50.00

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

AHA
PHA (2)
Vitamin E (2)
Hyaluronic Acid (2)

Benefits

Hydrating
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea

Notable Ingredients

PHA
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging (2)
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Irritating
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Ingredients Side-by-side

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

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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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

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 1.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.

It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 2.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
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

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 3.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

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

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 6.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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 Hyaluronate

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 9.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

6
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.

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 15.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.

7
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Gum

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 16.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.

8
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.

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 18.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

9
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

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 19.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 25.

10
What it does: Masking, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Benzoate

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 20.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 24.

11
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% contains this as ingredient number 21.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

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

59% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
18% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet
50% are loved or liked
19% have mixed ratings
19% 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.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% 22 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Lakooo's avatar

Lakooo

1 year ago · Combination Skin
Review

Gentle but effective exfoliation
Combination of exfoliating agents--more than just PHA--delivered in a gentle serum that does not burn.

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Hyaluronate Serum 26 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Absorbs Well (1) Expensive (1) Hydrating (1) Light (1) No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
RachelM_417's avatar

RachelM_417

1 month ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

This is probably my favourite hyaluronic acid serum: it’s a light lotion that absorbs quickly and never stings; it doesn’t trigger my acne,...

This is probably my favourite hyaluronic acid serum: it’s a light lotion that absorbs quickly and never stings; it doesn’t trigger my acne, rosacea, eczema , or perioral dermatitis; and I’ve found the effects to be quite visible. However, it’s unaffordable and the packaging feels like an extensive amount of plastic.

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