Advanced Clinicals Dark Spot - Therapeutic Cream Versus DR's Secret Moisturizer 6
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Advanced Clinicals Dark Spot - Therapeutic Cream 23 ingredients
DR's Secret Moisturizer 6 21 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Advanced Clinicals Dark Spot - Therapeutic Cream 23 ingredients
DR's Secret Moisturizer 6 21 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Beeswax, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Lactate
BufferingSodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitol
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Proline
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Proline, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid
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 comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.
Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.
Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidIngredient Ratings
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