ISANA Overnight Moisture Serum Versus Biologique Recherche Sérum Biosensible Soothing Facial Serum

ISANA Overnight Moisture Serum Versus Biologique Recherche Sérum Biosensible Soothing Facial Serum

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier.

This calming serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8 to calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Phenoxyethanol

Xylitylglucoside

Xanthan Gum

Hydroxyacetophenone

Anhydroxylitol

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Xylitol

Lactic Acid

Glucose

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitylglucoside, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Anhydroxylitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xylitol, Lactic Acid, Glucose, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Water

Pentylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract

Biosaccharide Gum-2

Milk Protein

Sodium Hyaluronate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lactose

Vaccinium Oxycoccos Fruit Extract

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Caffeyl Glucoside

Sorbic Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Dextran

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Water, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Milk Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactose, Lactic Acid, Vaccinium Oxycoccos Fruit Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Caffeyl Glucoside, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Dextran, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

This ingredient is created from dehydrating xylitol in acidic conditions. Xylitol is a famous sugar and humectant.

Much like its predecessor, anhydroxylitol is a humectant. Humectants attract and hold water to moisturize the skin.

This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol (24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).

According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.

This ingredient is often derived from plants such as wood and sugarcane.

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.

Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.

Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.

Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.

Like glycolic acid, it can:

Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.

Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.

To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.

Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.

Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.

When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

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.

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!

Xylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.

In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.

The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.

As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.

Xylitylglucoside is created from xylitol and glucose, two humectants.

Not surprisingly, this ingredient is also a humectant. It attracts and holds water in your skin, helping to maintain hydration.

This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol(24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).

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