SK-II GenOptics Aura Essence Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate

SK-II GenOptics Aura Essence Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate

This brightening serum is formulated around Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

This calming serum is formulated around Lactobacillus Ferment and Resveratrol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol

Triethylhexanoin

Pentylene Glycol

Glycerin

Nylon-12

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Boron Nitride

Panthenol

PEG-20 Sorbitan Cocoate

Inositol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Mica

Phenoxyethanol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone

Polyacrylamide

Aminomethyl Propanol

Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine

Benzyl Alcohol

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Disodium EDTA

Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Benzoate

Hexyldecanol

Laureth-7

Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract

Methylparaben

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Prunus Mume Fruit Extract

Tocopherol

Parfum

Limonene

Citronellol

Linalool

Geraniol

CI 77891

Water, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Triethylhexanoin, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Nylon-12, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Boron Nitride, Panthenol, PEG-20 Sorbitan Cocoate, Inositol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Aminomethyl Propanol, Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine, Benzyl Alcohol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Hexyldecanol, Laureth-7, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Methylparaben, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Parfum, Limonene, Citronellol, Linalool, Geraniol, CI 77891

Dimethicone

Methyl Trimethicone

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Isopropyl Isostearate

PPG-15 Stearyl Ether

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Faex Extract

Tripeptide-32

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Algin

Lactobacillus Ferment

Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract

Soy Amino Acids

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Resveratrol

Algae Extract

Salicylic Acid

Ergothioneine

Tocopheryl Acetate

Whey Protein

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Caffeine

Sodium PCA

Propylene Glycol Caprylate

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Isohexadecane

Polysilicone-11

Methyldihydrojasmonate

Sodium Lactate

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Isododecane

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Squalane

Polyethylene

Propylene Carbonate

BHT

Potassium Sorbate

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Faex Extract, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Soy Amino Acids, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Resveratrol, Algae Extract, Salicylic Acid, Ergothioneine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Whey Protein, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Isohexadecane, Polysilicone-11, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Sodium Lactate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isododecane, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Squalane, Polyethylene, Propylene Carbonate, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, CI 14700, CI 19140

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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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!

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