Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% versus The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on December 27, 2021
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 AHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots 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.
Price
Ingredient Info
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 15 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 15 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 15 ingredients
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 • Lactic Acid • Glycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Propanediol • Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer • Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract • Acacia Senegal Gum • Xanthan Gum • Isoceteth-20 • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Sodium Hydroxide • Ethylhexylglycerin • 1,2-Hexanediol • Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterNaturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 1.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
Benefits of Lactic Acid are that it can help to reduce large pores and reduce the effects of aging. Some potential downsides are that it can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, worsen eczema, and worsen rosacea.
Not only does it help exfoliate the skin, it helps strengthen the skin's barrier. When applied, lactic acid helps the skin create ceramides.
Lactic acid is an over-the-counter chemical exfoliant that comes from the fermentation of lactose — a carbohydrate found in milk.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidNaturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 5.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 GlycerinNaturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 7.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 PropanediolNaturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 15.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 5.
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. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 17.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 14.
Caprylyl 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 GlycolNaturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 18.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 15.
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 GumNaturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 19.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 9.
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.
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 HydroxideNaturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% contains this as ingredient number 20.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA contains this as ingredient number 12.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 15 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 15 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Naturium Vegan Lactic Acid Emulsion 5% 20 ingredients
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...
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!
Alternatives
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See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA.
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