Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum Versus Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum versus Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% .

Published on March 18, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and fungal acne (malassezia) safe serums. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens or sulfates

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

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Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%

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 Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum

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Buy Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%

Starts at $17.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 32 ingredients

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% 16 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

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 32 ingredients

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% 16 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

AHA (4)

Vitamin C

Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)

Good For Oily Skin

Redness Reducing (2)

Reduces Irritation (2)

Skin Texture (5)

Reduces Large Pores (4)

Anti-Aging (3)

Dark Spots (3)

Scar Healing (6)

Brightening (6)

Concerns

Irritating (5)

Rosacea (4)

Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E

Niacinamide

Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating

Good For Oily Skin

Redness Reducing

Reduces Large Pores

Dark Spots

Scar Healing

Acne Fighting (2)

Brightening (3)

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Ingredients Compared

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

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 32 ingredients

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% 16 ingredients

Water • Glycerin • Ascorbic Acid • Gold • Glutathione • Sodium Hyaluronate • Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract • Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract • Citrus Limon Fruit Extract • Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract • Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract • Saccharum Officinarum Extract • Acer Saccharum Extract • Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract • Lactic Acid • Glycolic Acid • Malic Acid • Tartaric Acid • Citric Acid • Sorbitol • Panthenol • Allantoin • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose • Xanthan Gum • Sodium Hydroxide • Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer • Propanediol • Glyceryl Caprylate • Hydroxyacetophenone • 1,2-Hexanediol • Titanium Dioxide • Mica

Water • Niacinamide • Propanediol • Glycerin • Zinc PCA • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11 • Sodium Hyaluronate • Dimethicone • Caprylyl Glycol • Phenoxyethanol • Xanthan Gum • Potassium Sorbate • Glyceryl Polyacrylate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Hexylene Glycol • Citric Acid

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Water

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

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% contains this as ingredient number 1.

Glycerin

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin 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 Glycerin

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% contains this as ingredient number 4.

Sodium Hyaluronate

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

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% contains this as ingredient number 7.

Citric Acid

What it does: Buffering, Masking

Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% contains this as ingredient number 16.

Xanthan Gum

What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Disliked

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.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 24.

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% contains this as ingredient number 11.

Propanediol

What it does: Solvent

Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.

It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% contains this as ingredient number 3.

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

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 32 ingredients

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% 16 ingredients

47% are loved or liked

22% have mixed ratings

22% are disliked or very disliked

9% have no rating yet

50% are loved or liked

0% have mixed ratings

44% are disliked or very disliked

6% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 32 ingredients

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% 16 ingredients

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 32 ingredients

Golden Hour Gold-Stabilized Vitamin C Serum hasn't been rated yet.

Rate it now

Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% 16 ingredients

5.0 /5

from 1 rating

Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Light (1) No Scent (1)

MichelleR

5 months ago · Dry Skin

Review

I really do love this product. The mix of niacinamide and zinc underneath my sunscreen make me feel super protected during the day. Especially...

I really do love this product. The mix of niacinamide and zinc underneath my sunscreen make me feel super protected during the day. Especially since I cannot tolerate Vitamin C as my antioxidant. And this pairs super well with Paula's Choice BHA Gel Exfoliant on days where I'm having acne breakouts. I <3 it here!