Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion Versus Pacifica Vegan Collagen Every Day Lotion SPF 30

Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion Versus Pacifica Vegan Collagen Every Day Lotion SPF 30

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging day moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Glycerin

Ascorbic Acid

Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Stearic Acid

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Phenoxyethanol

Tocopherol

Xanthan Gum

Bisabolol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Citrus Tangerina Peel Extract

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Citrus Tangerina Peel Extract

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 15%

Octocrylene 10%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Coconut Alkanes

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate

Lysolecithin

Sclerotium Gum

Pullulan

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1

Sodium Hyaluronate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract

Jasminum Officinale Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Arnica Montana Extract

Squalane

Oryza Sativa Starch

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Parfum

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 15%, Octocrylene 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Stearic Acid, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Arnica Montana Extract, Squalane, Oryza Sativa Starch, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.

In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.

The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.

This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.

Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.

Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.

Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).

The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.

It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.

Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.

Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.

Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.

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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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