PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum Versus Honest Beauty Stay Hydrated Hyaluronic Acid + NMF Serum
This hydrating serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil and Sodium PCA to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isododecane
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Polysilicone-11
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingDisodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolygonum Bistorta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Aroma
Polyglucuronic Acid
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Maris Sal
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Coconut Alkanes, Phenoxyethanol, Isododecane, Jojoba Esters, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Aroma, Polyglucuronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Carrageenan, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Cholesterol, Lecithin, Maris Sal, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Actinidia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chelating1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Propanediol, Actinidia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Betaine, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, PCA, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
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 PropanediolSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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 WaterXanthan 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
