Superdrug Vitamin E Illuminating Body Lotion Versus Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion Overnight Radiance Repair
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-35 Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientTriethyl Citrate
MaskingParfum
MaskingAesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialBenzoic Acid
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantLinalool
PerfumingTin Oxide
AbrasiveLimonene
PerfumingCalcium Pantothenate
Inositol
HumectantLinoleic Acid
CleansingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicSodium Chloride
MaskingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Mica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, PEG-35 Castor Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Triethyl Citrate, Parfum, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Alcohol Denat., Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Linalool, Tin Oxide, Limonene, Calcium Pantothenate, Inositol, Linoleic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Biotin, Sodium Chloride, CI 77891, CI 19140, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsohexadecane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingGlutathione
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientGlycine
BufferingCystine
MaskingSodium PCA
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingMethylparaben
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingBHT
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Glutathione, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glycine, Cystine, Sodium PCA, Petrolatum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Titanium Dioxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, BHT, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium 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