Polysaccharide salt; humectant
Sodium hyaluronate
Formula context
Hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate are related but not identical. The salt form is more commonly used in cosmetics because it is more stable and more readily soluble in water-based formulas.
Both are hygroscopic: they bind water. In a cosmetic that is what a humectant does — it holds moisture at the surface and in the upper layers of skin or on the hair, which is why skin can feel smoother and more comfortable after application.
Molecular weight matters in practice and is almost never published. Higher-molecular-weight forms behave differently from lower-molecular-weight ones. Amplified Glow discloses "dual hyaluronic acid" for the Copper Peptide Renewal Serum, naming both sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid — hydrolysis reduces molecular weight, so this is a meaningful disclosure rather than marketing decoration. No molecular weights are published for any product.
What the evidence can and cannot establish
Sodium hyaluronate's water-binding behaviour is a well-characterised physical property. Its cosmetic role as a humectant is not controversial.
What that does not establish is any particular outcome from any particular product. Whether skin feels more hydrated after using a specific serum depends on how much is present, what else is in the formula, what goes on afterwards, and the environment. None of those are published for Amplified Glow products.
Claim limitations
- Presence of a humectant does not establish a hydration outcome for a finished product.
- No Amplified Glow product publishes a sodium hyaluronate concentration or molecular weight.
- Water-binding at the skin surface is not the same as any structural or biological change, and nothing here should be read as claiming one.
- "Plumper-looking" appearance language describes appearance, not tissue volume.
Sensitivity considerations
Sodium hyaluronate is very widely used across the cosmetic category. Amplified Glow does not flag it as a sensitivity concern in any product, and its general patch-test guidance applies to the finished product rather than this ingredient specifically.
Common formulation companions
- Glycerin, betaine and trehalose — other humectants
- GHK-Cu, in every Amplified Glow copper peptide product
- Squalane and other emollients that help limit water loss
- Panthenol
Amplified Glow products that disclose sodium hyaluronate
GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Peptide Renewal Serum
Read the dated editorial analysis, then verify current price and availability on the live store.
Copper Peptide Renewal Serum
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Brightening Vitamin C Serum
Read the dated editorial analysis, then verify current price and availability on the live store.
GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Copper Peptide Cream
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Copper Peptide Renewal Cream
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Charcoal and Green Tea Facial Cleanser
Read the dated editorial analysis, then verify current price and availability on the live store.
Copper Peptide Strengthening Shampoo – Berry
Read the dated editorial analysis, then verify current price and availability on the live store.
Copper Peptide Nourishing Conditioner – Berry
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Copper Peptide Strengthening Shampoo – Lavender
Read the dated editorial analysis, then verify current price and availability on the live store.
Copper Peptide Nourishing Conditioner – Lavender
Read the dated editorial analysis, then verify current price and availability on the live store.
References
- European Commission — CosIng cosmetic ingredient database
The European Commission’s database of cosmetic substances and ingredients, including INCI names and declared functions.
ingredient dictionary
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review — ingredient safety assessments
An industry-funded expert panel that publishes safety assessments of cosmetic ingredients. Assessments address safety of use, not efficacy.
manufacturer technical
- Personal Care Products Council — INCI Dictionary
The body that assigns International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients names. The authoritative source for whether a trade name maps to a given INCI entry.
ingredient dictionary
- PubChem — National Center for Biotechnology Information
Public chemical structure and property database maintained by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
government
Related guides
How to layer a serum and moisturizer
Serum first, moisturizer second. The reason is practical: the lighter, more water-based product goes on before the heavier one that helps hold it in place. Wait until the serum has absorbed — usually under a minute — rather than timing it precisely. Reversing the order is not harmful; it just makes the serum step less useful.
Read the guide →GuideHow to read a cosmetic INCI list
An INCI list orders ingredients by concentration down to 1%, after which order means nothing. Marketing names and INCI names are different systems — SNAP-8 is a trade name and will appear on a panel as something else. The most useful skill is recognising what a list does not tell you: exact percentages, molecular weights, and the composition of anything labelled "extract" or "fragrance".
Read the guide →