Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% Versus The INKEY List Q10 Serum
Updated on June 19, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens 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 needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The INKEY List Q10 Serum 28 ingredients
Free from
Safety & Ethics
pH Level 4.5
American Brand
Free from
Safety & Ethics
pH Level 5.89
British Brand
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The INKEY List Q10 Serum 28 ingredients
Ingredients, at a glance
What's in this product, and how it might affect your skin.
Notable Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients, at a glance
What's in this product, and how it might affect your skin.
Notable Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.
Helps hydrate Dry SkinNot safe for Fungal Acne
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Lactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.
7 Benefits2 Concerns
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
3 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
9 Benefits
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Bisabolol is famous for its skin soothing properties. It does this by blocking inflammatory signals, helping to reduce your body's reaction to irritation.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
Antioxidant
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.
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.
Antioxidant3 Benefits
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
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.
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.
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Lactic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide
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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Phospholipids are naturally found in our skin as they are the main component of cell membranes. Phospholipids have humectant, emollient, antioxidant properties.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids.
Glycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
2 Concerns
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) is a molecule already found in our bodies. It is a potent antioxidant and skin-soothing ingredient.
2 Benefits
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
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.
Glycine Soja Sterols is derived from the soybean plant. Sterols are an organic compound and technically an alcohol.
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc.
Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.
3 Benefits
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.
Antioxidant3 Benefits
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine isn't fungal acne safe and is a peptide.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate isn't fungal acne safe and is a peptide.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Squalane, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Oil, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycine Soja Sterols, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
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 WaterCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin 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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetatePropanediol 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 PropanediolTocopherol (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 TocopherolCaprylyl 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 GlycolSodium 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 HydroxideIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The INKEY List Q10 Serum 28 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
MichelleR
I patch tested this on my inner arm, and brown spots began to appear. I wasn't sure if this was the causal factor, so I tested it on my other arm....
I patch tested this on my inner arm, and brown spots began to appear. I wasn't sure if this was the causal factor, so I tested it on my other arm. Same thing. Small brown spots began to appear where I placed the product. I couldn't find anything on line that explained this phenomenon, so I'm presuming it is too strong. If anyone has seen anything like this, please post a comment!
