Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum .

Last updated on February 16, 2024. Published on December 26, 2020

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening 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.

Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada
Serum British Brand United Kingdom

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

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 2% + B5

Starts at $8.90
Shop

Buy Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum

Starts at $10.00

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
Reduces Irritation
Brightening

Concerns

Irritating

Benefits

Hydrating
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Irritating
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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: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 1.

The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

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

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 2.

The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

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 Propanediol

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 4.

The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 8.

The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains this as ingredient number 16.

The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

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

47% are loved or liked
29% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
57% are loved or liked
21% have mixed ratings
21% are disliked or very disliked
0% 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

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 17 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 3 reviews

The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum 14 ingredients

3.8 /5
from 11 reviews
sophia_teigiser's Avatar'
Apr 28, 2022

AMAZING
I have used this serum right after cleansing and when my face is damp. It instantly makes my face feel hydrated and smooth. Definitely would recommend to all skin types!!

AMAZING
I have used this serum right after cleansing and when my face is damp. It instantly makes my face feel hydrated and smooth. Definitely would recommend to all skin types!!

YusraBabar_214's Avatar'
Jun 30, 2023

Gave me acne
I bought this because i heard a lot about it. I have a normal skin with no acne on my face but after using this i started to get little pimples and i gave it to my friend. Try this before adding this into your routine.

Gave me acne
I bought this because i heard a lot about it. I have a normal skin with no acne on my face but after using this i started to get little pimples and i gave it to my friend. Try this before adding this into your routine.

Alternatives

We haven't detected any alternatives for The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.

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