Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum versus Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum .

Last updated on August 16, 2023. Published on September 23, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens, fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum New Zealander Brand New Zealand
Serum American Brand United States

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum

Starts at $9.97
Shop

Buy Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum

Starts at $68.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

4
What it does:
Community Rating: Very Disliked

We don't have a description for Sodium Acrylates Copolymer.

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

6
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.

Lecithin is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.

As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin. The phospholipids in Lecithin can produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.

Learn more about Lecithin

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

8
What it does: Perfuming, Tonic
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.

Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.

Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.

Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.

Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.

Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.

2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-

Learn more about Geraniol

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.

9
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term '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.

Learn more about Limonene

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

42% are loved or liked
16% have mixed ratings
42% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
33% are loved or liked
19% have mixed ratings
43% are disliked or very disliked
5% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum 19 ingredients

Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum 21 ingredients

1.0 /5
from 1 rating

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to By Nature Cica + 10% Niacinamide + Willow Bark Calming Serum.

See 50 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 22 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum.

See 22 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...