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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum versus The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on November 19, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, 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.

Serum American Brand United States
Serum Canadian Brand Canada

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Shop

Buy Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%

Starts at $7.80

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Hydrating

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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.

Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.

Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.

Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).

In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.

The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.

Is squalane vegan? This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Learn more about Squalane

SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% contains this as ingredient number 2.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% contains this as ingredient number 9.

3
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Ethylhexyl Palmitate is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid. It is a fatty acid ester.

The fatty acid content of Ethylhexyl Palmitate makes it an emollient. Emollients help soften and hydrate your skin by trapping moisture within.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate is also used to help improve the texture of cosmetics. It helps other ingredient dissolve in products and help disperse ingredients more evenly. In fact, it is commonly used to evenly mix sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazone. It can also help stabilize the fragrances in a product as a fragrance fixative.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate can be used to substitute mineral oil.

Learn more about Ethylhexyl Palmitate

SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% contains this as ingredient number 7.

4
What it does: Emollient, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

This silica is mainly used to thicken oils and suspend particles in oils. It is not water soluble.

According to the manufacturer, it:

The manufacturer also claims this ingredient to be useful in makeup.

In lipstick formulations, this ingredient improves color payoff, reduces pigment settling, and reduces oil bleeding. This ingredient also improves the grip of powder products such as dry shampoos.

Learn more about Silica Dimethyl Silylate

SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% contains this as ingredient number 8.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

38% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
27% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
40% are disliked or very disliked
33% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum 8 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating

The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% 15 ingredients

2.3 /5
from 4 ratings
Irritating (1)
Yawnkun's avatar

Yawnkun

4 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

This Vitamin C is not for beginners. I got a chemical burn because of this and had to take a break with some actives to restore my skin barrier....

This Vitamin C is not for beginners. I got a chemical burn because of this and had to take a break with some actives to restore my skin barrier. Turns out that I still had to dilute it with another cream / moisturizer so that my skin doesn't get irritated. I think there are better Vitamin C products out there. I guess a good point of this Vitamin C is that you don't have to refrigerate it and it doesn't oxidize.

sameteamdwight's avatar

sameteamdwight

3 years ago · Dry Skin
Review

Grainy
The graininess of this feels unpleasant on my face so I'm moving on to a different product.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 34 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum.

See 34 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%.

See 2 alternatives
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