
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
FEATURES
Hydrating serum with Hyaluronic Acid
BEST FOR
combination
CHECKS
Who Is It For?
AdultsWhat Does It Help With?
Hydration Skin PlumpingBudget
Affordable (under $30)How To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What Guardian Says
Product Description:
A serum with Hyaluronic Acid that helps to hydrate and plump the skin
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Water /Aqua, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propylene Glycol, Provitamin B5 /Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA
Key Ingredients
hyaluronic-acid
Ingredients Details
Disodium Edta
Common Name(s): Edathamil disodium,edta disodium,versene 100
CAS Number: 139-33-3
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides metal ion chelation to prevent product degradation and boost preservative and antioxidant efficacy.
Why It's Used: The most essential stability ingredient in cosmetics โ disodium edta's metal chelation prevents rancidity, discoloration, and preservative failure caused by trace metal contamination in virtually all aqueous cosmetic formulations.
How It Works: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid provides six potential coordination sites for metal ions (aminodiacetate groups). chelates caยฒโบ, mgยฒโบ (stability), feยณโบ (fenton radical prevention), cuยฒโบ (oxidase inhibition). disrupts gram-negative bacterial outer membrane by chelating membrane calcium, enhancing preservative penetration.
Typically Found In: Virtually all aqueous cosmetics โ creams, lotions, shampoos, toners
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ chelating agent
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.005%โ0.1%
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
Disodium edta's preservative potentiation against gram-negative bacteria is mechanistically elegant: gram-negative outer membranes contain lipopolysaccharide stabilised by calcium and magnesium bridges. edta chelates these metal ions, destabilising the lps layer and creating pores that allow hydrophobic preservatives (phenoxyethanol, parabens) to penetrate โ converting gram-negative-resistant preservatives into broad-spectrum ones.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Phenoxyethanol
Common Name(s): 2-phenoxyethanol,rose ether,ethylene glycol monophenyl ether
CAS Number: 122-99-6
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Prevents microbial contamination and spoilage in cosmetic formulations.
Why It's Used: The benchmark cosmetic preservative โ eu-permitted up to 1%, effective against virtually all cosmetically relevant microorganisms, and excellent tolerability.
How It Works: Phenol ring provides broad antimicrobial activity via disruption of bacterial and fungal cell membranes and inhibition of enzymatic activity. effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, yeasts (candida), and molds (aspergillus). activity ph range: 3-9.
Typically Found In: All cosmetic formulations as primary preservative
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ broad-spectrum preservative
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% (eu max 1%)
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: Eu cosmetics regulation max 1%. sccs assessed as safe at โค1%. avoid use around eyes in baby products per some country regulations. ewg score: 4.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Phenoxyethanol's widespread adoption as the primary cosmetic preservative followed the phaseout of parabens from many formulations in the 2000s-2010s. despite having a comparable or better safety profile to parabens, it is often cited in 'free-from' formulations โ a consumer perception issue rather than a scientific safety concern.
Last Verified: Cosing database,sccs opinion on phenoxyethanol,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Ppg-1-peg-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
Common Name(s): Ppg-1-peg-9 lauryl glycol ether
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Reduces surface tension at oil-water interfaces, enabling effective cleansing, emulsification, and formulation stability.
Why It's Used: Surface-active agents are essential for emulsification, cleansing, and stabilization of cosmetic formulations containing both aqueous and lipid phases.
How It Works: The amphiphilic molecular structure positions the hydrophilic head in water and the lipophilic tail in oils, creating micelles that solubilize sebum, dirt, and oil-soluble impurities for rinsing in cleansers or stable emulsions in leave-on products.
Typically Found In: Cleansers,shampoos,body washes,foaming treatments
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Surfactants
Secondary Functions: Emulsifying,cleansing
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.5โ30%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetic or semi-synthetic surfactant; no animal components.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 2
Comedogenicity Rating: 0
Sensitivity Concerns: May cause irritation or stinging in sensitive or barrier-compromised skin at high concentrations; patch test recommended.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Conditional
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. mildly irritating to some individuals at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.
Works Well With: Other surfactants,thickeners,conditioning agents
Avoid Combining With: High concentrations in sensitive skin formulations
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Surfactant critical micelle concentration (cmc) determines the threshold for emulsification: above the cmc, amphiphilic molecules self-assemble into micelles with hydrophobic cores that solubilize oils. hlb (hydrophile-lipophile balance) value predicts surfactant function: hlb 3โ6 for w/o emulsifiers, 8โ18 for o/w emulsifiers, >15 for solubilizers.
Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature
Primary Sources: 2025-01-15
Propylene Glycol
Common Name(s): 1,2-propanediol,pdg,propane-1,2-diol
CAS Number: 57-55-6
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides humectant hydration alongside solubilization of water-soluble actives and preservation boosting.
Why It's Used: Multi-function glycol for comprehensive formulation utility: hydration, solubilization, and preservation in a single cost-effective ingredient.
How It Works: Two hydroxyl groups provide water binding for humectant activity. propylene backbone provides solvent capacity for both polar and moderately non-polar actives. antimicrobial activity via membrane disruption enhancing preservative systems.
Typically Found In: Moisturizers,serums,toners,almost all aqueous formulations
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ glycol humectant / solvent
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%โ15%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ from propylene oxide (petrochemical) or bio-based (corn fermentation)
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 2/5 โ low to moderate; potential sensitizer in sensitive individuals at high concentrations
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: Well-established safety profile. ewg score: 3. bio-based pg available from corn fermentation.
Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Propylene glycol's dual polarity (two hydroxyl groups + propylene hydrocarbon backbone) enables dissolution of ingredients spanning a wide hydrophilicity range โ from highly polar actives (amino acids, glycerin) to moderately lipophilic actives (salicylic acid, retinol). this broad solubility range makes it uniquely versatile as a cosmetic solvent.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12