Beauty Comparison
The Inkey Listserum

Photo and link: Amazon

The Inkey List

Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum

serum · 30 g · Skincare

The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum is free of fragrance, essential oils, labelled fragrance allergens, drying alcohol, silicones, parabens and MI / MCI, going by its full 40-ingredient list, with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin. List checked November 5, 2026.

The catch: it contains sulfates (Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate).

  • Fragrance-free
  • No essential oils
  • No labelled fragrance allergens
  • No drying alcohol
  • Contains sulfates
  • Silicone-free
  • Paraben-free
  • No MI/MCI

Listed on Amazon in: United Kingdom

Key ingredients in Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum

  • Ceramides

    Skin-identical lipids that help hold the skin barrier together.

  • Hyaluronic acid

    A humectant that pulls water into the top layer of skin.

  • Glycerin

    A classic humectant that keeps skin hydrated.

  • Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5)

    Soothes and helps skin and hair hold moisture.

Full ingredient list, decoded

40 ingredients, in label order (highest amount first; below about 1% the order is free).

  1. 1Aqua (Water / Eau)
  2. 2PropanediolPropanediol is a clear liquid that draws water toward the skin. Its jobs are as a…
  3. 3Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideA light, plant-derived oil made from coconut or palm kernel fatty acids and glycerin.…
  4. 4Coconut Alkanes
  5. 5Ectoin
  6. 6Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
  7. 7Sodium HyaluronateHyaluronic acid is a sugar-based molecule, naturally found in skin, that holds a lot of…
  8. 8MaltodextrinMaltodextrin is a powdery, sugar-like starch fragment made by partly breaking down…
  9. 9PhenoxyethanolA synthetic preservative that helps stop bacteria, yeast and mold from growing in…
  10. 10Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateA mild emulsifier and cleansing agent made from a fatty acid and an amino acid. It…
  11. 11PanthenolPanthenol is a form of vitamin B5 that the skin and hair convert to pantothenic acid.…
  12. 12Cetearyl AlcoholA waxy fatty alcohol blend that thickens formulas and helps oil and water mix into…
  13. 13Sclerotium Gum
  14. 14Xanthan GumXanthan Gum is a thickener and stabilizer made by fermenting sugar with a bacterium. It…
  15. 15Glyceryl StearateGlyceryl stearate is a waxy blend of glycerin and stearic acid, a fatty acid from plant…
  16. 16Jojoba Esters
  17. 17Coco-Caprylate/CaprateA light, coconut-derived ester that softens skin and hair and helps other ingredients…
  18. 18EthylhexylglycerinEthylhexylglycerin is a lab-made, skin-friendly ingredient that boosts the power of…
  19. 19Sodium CitrateSodium Citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid, a mild, fruit-derived acid. It mainly…
  20. 20Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax
  21. 21Citric AcidCitric acid is a mild, naturally occurring acid found in citrus fruit. In skincare and…
  22. 22Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
  23. 23Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel ExtractA plant-derived ingredient made from the kernels of the oat seed. Its main job is to…
  24. 24GlycerinGlycerin is a clear, thick, odorless liquid that pulls water into the skin and helps…
  25. 25Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltrateA liquid made by fermenting radish root with Leuconostoc bacteria, then filtering out…
  26. 26Triethyl CitrateTriethyl Citrate is the ethyl ester of citric acid, a clear, oily liquid. It is mainly…
  27. 27Pentylene GlycolPentylene Glycol is a small, multi-tasking liquid that attracts water to the skin and…
  28. 28Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
  29. 29Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
  30. 30Ceramide NPCeramide NP is a skin-identical lipid, a fat naturally found in the outer skin layer.…
  31. 31Hyaluronic AcidHyaluronic acid is a sugar-based molecule, naturally found in skin, that holds a lot of…
  32. 32Ceramide APCeramide AP is a skin-identical lipid, a type of ceramide, whose main job is to help…
  33. 33CholesterolCholesterol is a waxy, fat-like molecule that skin makes naturally, and in skincare it…
  34. 34PhytosphingosinePhytosphingosine is a skin-identical building block for ceramides, the lipids that help…
  35. 35Behenic Acid
  36. 36Sodium LevulinateSodium Levulinate is the sodium salt of levulinic acid, a plant-derived ingredient. It…
  37. 37Polyglycerin-3
  38. 38Potassium SorbatePotassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, a mild preservative that helps…
  39. 39Sodium Cetearyl SulfateA salt made from cetearyl alcohol, a blend of fatty alcohols, that helps water and oil…Sulfates
  40. 40Ceramide EOPCeramide EOP is a skin-identical lipid, a fat that is naturally part of the outer layer…

Source: The Inkey List product page, uk.theinkeylist.com/products/ectoin-hydro-barrier-serum, retrieved November 5, 2026.

Every flag we check

CheckResultIngredients found
FragranceNone listed—
Essential oilsNone listed—
Labelled fragrance allergensNone listed—
Drying alcoholNone listed—
SulfatesContainsSodium Cetearyl Sulfate (#39)
SiliconesNone listed—
ParabensNone listed—
MI / MCINone listed—
Formaldehyde releasersNone listed—
Mineral oil & petrolatumNone listed—
LanolinNone listed—
Chemical UV filtersNone listed—

Frequently asked questions

Is The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum fragrance-free?

Yes. The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum lists no parfum or fragrance and no essential oils. Checked against its full ingredient list on November 5, 2026.

Does The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum contain silicones, sulfates or parabens?

Silicones: none listed. Sulfates: yes (Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate). Parabens: none listed.

What is The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum good for?

By its ingredient list it fits sensitive skin, eczema-prone skin, contact dermatitis and perfume allergy: it passes every free-from rule we set for those needs. Key ingredients: Ceramides, Hyaluronic acid, Glycerin and Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5).

Similar serums

Affiliate