Pacifica Vegan Collagen Hydrate & Plump Facial Mask Versus Pacifica Vegan Collagen Hydrating Milk Tonic

Pacifica Vegan Collagen Hydrate & Plump Facial Mask Versus Pacifica Vegan Collagen Hydrating Milk Tonic

This hydrating sheet mask is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to hydrate skin and calm redness.

This hydrating essence is formulated around Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Betaine

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1

Citric Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract

Sodium Citrate

Water, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Sodium Citrate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Propanediol

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract

Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Pullulan

Sclerotium Gum

Lecithin

Silica

Polysorbate 20

Maltodextrin

Parfum

Water, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Propanediol, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Silica, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Maltodextrin, 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.

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.

Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.

Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.

Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.

Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.

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.

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.

Peptides are amino acids naturally found in your skin. These amino acids make up many proteins your skin uses. Collagen is made up of peptides. Collagen is responsible for keeping your skin plump and youthful.

As you age, your body naturally produces less collagen. Since peptides are the building blocks of collagen, it may have anti-aging effects.

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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