Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum versus The Ordinary "Buffet" .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on February 14, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain peptides
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and sensitive skin
Free From
They both do not contain any 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 need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum 44 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Contains Parabens
Ingredients in this product that are types 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:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not 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 🎉
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 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum 44 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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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:
This product contains 3 ingredients 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:
Concerns
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:
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.
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum 44 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Water • Butylene Glycol • Glycerin • Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate • Niacinamide • Pentylene Glycol • Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate • Isopropyl Isostearate • Dimethicone • Squalane • Xylitol • Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer • Boron Nitride • Panthenol • Peg-20 Sorbitan Cocoate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Phenoxyethanol • Benzyl Alcohol • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate • Peg-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone • Aminomethyl Propanol • Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract • Laureth-7 • Methylparaben • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Sodium Peg-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate • Xanthan Gum • Disodium EDTA • Peg-100 Stearate • Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate • Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract • Parfum • Ethylhexylglycerin • Hydrolyzed Soy Protein • Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract • Polyquaternium-7 • Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein • Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 • Methylsilanol Tri-Peg-8 Glyceryl Cocoate • Methicone • CI 77891 • CI 77492
Water • Glycerin • Lactococcus Ferment Lysate • Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 • Pentapeptide-18 • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 • Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate • Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine • Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer • Sodium Hyaluronate • Allantoin • Glycine • Alanine • Serine • Valine • Isoleucine • Proline • Threonine • Histidine • Phenylalanine • Arginine • Aspartic Acid • Trehalose • Fructose • Glucose • Maltose • Urea • Sodium PCA • PCA • Sodium Lactate • Citric Acid • Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin • Sodium Chloride • Sodium Hydroxide • Butylene Glycol • Pentylene Glycol • Acacia Senegal Gum • Xanthan Gum • Carbomer • Polysorbate 20 • Ppg-26-Buteth-26 • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Ethoxydiglycol • Sodium Benzoate • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorphenesin
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 WaterSk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 1.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 37.
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 GlycerinSk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 2.
Pentylene 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 help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
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 GlycolSk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 38.
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.
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 50.
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 GumSk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum contains this as ingredient number 29.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 40.
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.
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum contains this as ingredient number 35.
The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 49.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum 44 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum 44 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum 44 ingredients
The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 31 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum.
See 31 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary "Buffet".
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