
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
FEATURES
Concentrated formula with hyaluronic acid for hydration
BEST FOR
normal
CHECKS
Who Is It For?
AdultsWhat Does It Help With?
Hydration Skin PlumpingBudget
Mid-range ($30-$75)How To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What Guardian Says
Product Description:
A concentrated hyaluronic acid serum that helps hydrate and plump the skin
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Aqua (Water), Propanediol, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Greasy Seeds) Butter, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Polyac-ryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, 1.2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Phenethyl Alcohol
Key Ingredients
hyaluronic acid
Ingredients Details
Allantoin
Common Name(s): 5-ureidohydantoin,glyoxyldiureide,aluminum dihydroxy allantoinate
CAS Number: 97-59-6
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Soothes irritation, accelerates wound healing, promotes skin cell renewal, and provides mild keratolytic exfoliation.
Why It's Used: Gold standard multi-function soothing active โ one of the most widely used cosmetic ingredients across all product types for its exceptional tolerability and clinically proven multi-action skin conditioning.
How It Works: Promotes keratinocyte proliferation and fibroblast migration for wound healing. mild keratolytic activity by disrupting corneocyte binding. anti-irritant via direct protein binding and anti-inflammatory cytokine reduction. humectant activity via hydroxyl groups.
Typically Found In: Post-procedure products,sensitive skin formulas,wound care,anti-acne treatments,baby products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ soothing / anti-inflammatory
Secondary Functions: Wound healing,keratolytic,anti-irritant
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ2%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic or comfrey-derived
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Plant-derived extract or synthetic.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Exceptionally well-tolerated; suitable for all skin types including baby and compromised skin.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes โ particularly recommended for sensitive skin
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Ceramides,panthenol,allantoin,hyaluronic acid,centella asiatica
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Allantoin's keratinocyte proliferation stimulation occurs via receptor-mediated signaling (possibly machr activation) rather than non-specific irritation-driven proliferation, making it a true wound-healing stimulant rather than a pro-inflammatory proliferative signal.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,araรบjo et al. allantoin review
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Caprylyl Glycol
Common Name(s): 1,2-octanediol,octanediol,sensiva sc 50
CAS Number: 1117-86-8
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides the most potent antimicrobial diol activity alongside skin feel enhancement.
Why It's Used: Premium antimicrobial diol โ caprylyl glycol's c8 chain provides the strongest membrane-disrupting antimicrobial activity of common diol preservative boosters with unique skin-feel enhancement.
How It Works: C8 1,2-diol: c8 chain length provides strongest bacterial and fungal membrane disruption of common diols. emollient skin feel improvement from c8 chain length interaction with skin surface. active at lower concentrations than shorter-chain diols. synergistic with ethylhexylglycerin.
Typically Found In: Natural preservation systems,skin feel enhancement
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ antimicrobial humectant
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%โ1%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic
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
Caprylyl glycol's antimicrobial potency follows the chain-length dependent membrane activity of fatty acids: c8 is the optimal chain length for membrane disruption (same as caprylic acid's antimicrobial optimum), providing maximum membrane integration without the skin sensitisation associated with longer chain lengths. this chain-length pharmacophore relationship is why c8 > c6 > c5 in diol antimicrobial potency despite identical head group chemistry.
Last Verified: Cosing database,schรผlke sensiva sc 50 technical data,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Common Name(s): Glyceryl oleate citrate
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Smooths and softens skin by filling intercorneocyte spaces, reducing friction, and providing a pleasant aesthetic skin feel in formulations.
Why It's Used: Synthetic esters provide tailored aesthetic properties โ spreadability, skin feel, volatility, refractive index โ that natural oils alone cannot consistently deliver.
How It Works: The ester molecule fills microscopic surface irregularities between corneocytes, reducing coefficient of friction, reflecting light uniformly, and providing a lubrication layer that protects the skin surface.
Typically Found In: Moisturizers,sunscreens,color cosmetics,body lotions,lip products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Synthetic emollients
Secondary Functions: Emollient
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1โ20%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetically produced ester emollient; no animal components.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1
Comedogenicity Rating: 1
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: Silicones,uv filters,other emollients
Avoid Combining With: Strongly alkaline conditions (risk of saponification of ester-type emollients)
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
The spreading coefficient of an emollient is governed by its surface tension, viscosity, and polarity. esters with branched alkyl chains (e.g., isopropyl, isostearyl) spread rapidly and leave a non-tacky film; linear long-chain esters provide more substantive moisturization. hlb value determines the preferred formulation system (w/o vs o/w emulsions).
Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature
Primary Sources: 2025-01-15
Parfum
Common Name(s): Parfum,parfum,cosmetic functional ingredient,established cosmetic active
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides the characteristic cosmetic function of its ingredient class through its molecular chemistry at recommended use concentration.
Why It's Used: Parfum is selected for the specific functional properties of its molecular class โ the chemical architecture of parfum delivers the required cosmetic performance through documented interactions with skin biology and formulation matrix.
How It Works: The functional groups interact with formulation components and skin surfaces through h-bonding, ionic association, surface adsorption, or receptor activity as appropriate to the molecular class.
Typically Found In: Cosmetic formulations
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: Conditional
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
Safety documented in cosing and cosmetic chemistry literature at standard formulation concentrations.
Last Verified: Cosing database,parfum technical review
Primary Sources: 2026-03-22