One/Size by Patrick Starrr Secure The Glow Tacky Hydrating Primer With Boba Complex Versus Essence Hello, Good Stuff! Glow Serum Primer
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingCastor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Tapioca Starch
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Carbomer, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Beta-Glucan, Caprylyl Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tapioca Starch, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77891, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Sulfate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Water, Decyl Glucoside, Isopropyl Myristate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycol Distearate, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Limonene, CI 14700
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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 HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
