
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Illuminating gel moisturizer with 3 main active ingredients
FEATURES
Provides 24 hours hydration with lightweight gel texture, Brightens and evens skin tone, Targets dark spots, Contains wild berries, alpha arbutin and hyaluronic acid, Suitable for oily to combination skin, Non-sticky and non-greasy finish
BEST FOR
combination
CHECKS
No sticky, oily or greasy finish
Who Is It For?
All Genders Age Range Not Explicitly StatedWhat Does It Help With?
Hydration Brightening Dark Spots Even Skin Tone RadianceBudget
Affordable (under $30)How To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What Aqualogica Says
Product Description:
We are hosting the coolest hydration party in town & you are invited! Not your usual moisturizer, Illuminate+ Hydra Gel is ready to give your skin the MVP treatment it deserves. Dive into a pool of intense hydration that lasts for 24 hours. Picture this - a water-like gel texture thats so light, its almost like a hydration hug for your skin. No more dry patches, or parched skin, coz its high on hydration. The moisturizer absorbs & melts into your skin in a snap. And lest we forget, sticky, oily or greasy finish didnt even make it to the guest list. Hold on, theres more! This hydration superstar comes packed with Wild Berries to brighten and even out your skin tone, Alpha Arbutin to tackle those pesky dark spots, and Hyaluronic Acid to lock in moisture like a pro. Plump, hydrated & radiant skin - its a lit scene! This weightless wonder is made especially for oily to combination skin types. All you gotta do is scoop, dab & high-five to hydrated, even & luminous skin.
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Aqua, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin (and) Phenoxyethanol, Linoleamidopropyl PG Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone (and) Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Capric Caprylic Triglyceride, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium PCA, Xylitylglucoside (and) Anhydroxylitol (and) Xylitol, Alpha Arbutin, Wild Berry Extract, IFRA Certified Allergen Free Fragrance, CI 42090, CI 16035
Key Ingredients
Wild Berries, Alpha Arbutin, Hyaluronic Acid
Ingredients Details
Alpha Arbutin
Common Name(s): Alpha arbutin
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Delivers targeted skin-conditioning or bioactive benefits through a specific mechanism of action suited to the formulation's intended purpose.
Why It's Used: Specialty actives address specific skin concerns through targeted molecular mechanisms, providing efficacy beyond what base formulation ingredients alone can achieve.
How It Works: The bioactive compound interacts with specific molecular targets in skin cells or the extracellular matrix โ enzymes, receptors, structural proteins, or signaling molecules โ triggering beneficial biological responses.
Typically Found In: Serums,treatments,moisturizers,specialty products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Specialty actives
Secondary Functions: Skin-conditioning,anti-aging
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.01โ5%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Specialty active ingredient; check individual sourcing for vegan status.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1899-12-31 00:00:00 -0800
Sensitivity Concerns: Low sensitization potential at recommended use concentrations.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. generally non-irritating at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.
Works Well With: Niacinamide,hyaluronic acid,vitamin c,peptides
Avoid Combining With: Incompatible with oxidizing agents; check ph stability
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Specialty actives typically work through enzyme inhibition (e.g., tyrosinase inhibition for brightening, mmp inhibition for anti-aging), receptor activation (e.g., retinoid receptors, ppar-ฮณ for barrier genes), or transcription factor modulation (e.g., nrf2 for antioxidant gene upregulation). structure-activity relationships determine potency and selectivity.
Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature
Primary Sources: 2025-01-15
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer
Common Name(s): Synthetic polymer,rheology or film-forming modifier,performance polymer
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides polymer-based thickening, film formation, or emulsion stabilisation through the specific molecular weight and monomer composition.
Why It's Used: Synthetic polymers deliver precisely engineered performance unavailable from natural biopolymers โ molecular weight, composition, and architecture are controlled for specific application outcomes.
How It Works: Polymer chain entanglement and network formation above overlap concentration c* provides viscosity. film formation by solvent evaporation above tg. crosslinked networks provide yield stress gel for suspension stabilisation.
Typically Found In: Skin care,hair care,colour cosmetics
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ cosmetic active
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Eu microplastic regulation 2023/2055 may affect certain synthetic polymers โ formulators verify their specific polymer meets non-microplastic criteria (soluble, biodegradable, or approved exemption).
Last Verified: Cosing database,ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate cr synthetic polymer review
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp Copolymer
Common Name(s): Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Delivers targeted skin-conditioning or bioactive benefits through a specific mechanism of action suited to the formulation's intended purpose.
Why It's Used: Specialty actives address specific skin concerns through targeted molecular mechanisms, providing efficacy beyond what base formulation ingredients alone can achieve.
How It Works: The bioactive compound interacts with specific molecular targets in skin cells or the extracellular matrix โ enzymes, receptors, structural proteins, or signaling molecules โ triggering beneficial biological responses.
Typically Found In: Serums,treatments,moisturizers,specialty products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Specialty actives
Secondary Functions: Skin-conditioning,anti-aging
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.01โ5%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Specialty active ingredient; check individual sourcing for vegan status.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1
Comedogenicity Rating: 0
Sensitivity Concerns: Low sensitization potential at recommended use concentrations.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. generally non-irritating at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.
Works Well With: Niacinamide,hyaluronic acid,vitamin c,peptides
Avoid Combining With: Incompatible with oxidizing agents; check ph stability
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Specialty actives typically work through enzyme inhibition (e.g., tyrosinase inhibition for brightening, mmp inhibition for anti-aging), receptor activation (e.g., retinoid receptors, ppar-ฮณ for barrier genes), or transcription factor modulation (e.g., nrf2 for antioxidant gene upregulation). structure-activity relationships determine potency and selectivity.
Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature
Primary Sources: 2025-01-15
Butylene Glycol
Common Name(s): 1,3-butanediol,bg,1,3-butylene glycol
CAS Number: 107-88-0
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides humectant hydration and active ingredient solubilization with excellent skin feel.
Why It's Used: Preferred glycol humectant in premium and k-beauty formulations for superior skin feel vs propylene glycol with equivalent functionality.
How It Works: Two hydroxyl groups at 1,3-positions provide water binding and solvent activity. better tolerated than propylene glycol with minimal sensitization risk. 4-carbon backbone provides slightly greater hydrophobic character enabling dissolution of less polar actives vs pg.
Typically Found In: Toners,essences,serums,k-beauty formulas
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ glycol humectant
Secondary Functions: Tewl reduction,skin plumping
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
K-beauty's preference for butylene glycol over propylene glycol is driven by two factors: bg's superior skin feel (less tacky than pg's higher viscosity) and its lower sensitization potential (1,3-bg has better spatial distribution of hydroxyl groups that reduces protein interaction vs pg's 1,2-position oh groups).
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12