Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream Versus Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask

Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream Versus Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hyaluronic Acid and Polyglutamic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This wash off mask is made with Niacinamide and Ceramide EOP for a rinse-off barrier-support boost.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

C13-15 Alkane

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

C9-12 Alkane

Prunus Domestica Seed Oil

Pentylene Glycol

Squalane

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Seed Oil

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Davidsonia Jerseyana Fruit Extract

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Powder

Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract

Polyglutamic Acid

Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Niacinamide

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Xylitylglucoside

Isononyl Isononanoate

Caprylyl Glycol

Anhydroxylitol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Arginine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Chloride

Xylitol

Stearic Acid

Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide

Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Glucose

Potassium Phosphate

Butylene Glycol

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Hydroxypropylcellulose

Alaria Esculenta Extract

Sodium Phosphate

Potassium Chloride

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Gluconolactone

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Silica

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Benzoate

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C9-12 Alkane, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Squalane, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Davidsonia Jerseyana Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Powder, Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Niacinamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xylitylglucoside, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Anhydroxylitol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Xylitol, Stearic Acid, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Glucose, Potassium Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Gluconolactone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum

Diheptyl Succinate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sorbitan Stearate

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Allantoin

Bisabolol

Panthenol

Physalis Angulata Extract

Castanea Sativa Seed Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Phytosphingosine

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Cholesterol

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

PEG-100 Stearate

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diheptyl Succinate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Physalis Angulata Extract, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosphingosine, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Similar Comparisons