Versus

La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Niacinamide Serum Versus Sesderma Azelac RU Luminous Fluid SPF 50

Serum
Sunscreen
French Brand
Spanish Brand

Overview

Cool Features

They both contain exfoliants and Vitamin E

Suited For

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

Free From

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

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, 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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant 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

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
10% Pure Niacinamide Serum
Azelac RU Luminous Fluid SPF 50

Water

Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

UV Absorber
0 / 0 Chemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Propylene Glycol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Ethylhexyl Triazone

UV Absorber
Chemical UV Filter Icon

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

UV Absorber
0 / 0 Chemical UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Cyclopentasiloxane

Emollient
Silicon Icon

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Skin Conditioning
Chemical UV Filter Icon

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

UV Absorber
Chemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Polymethyl Methacrylate

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Emollient

Bellis Perennis Flower Extract

Skin Conditioning

Mica

Cosmetic Colorant
May worsen Eczema Icon

Isostearyl Alcohol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Titanium Dioxide

Cosmetic Colorant
0 / 0 Mineral UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Skin Conditioning
Vitamin C IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores Icon

4-Butylresorcinol

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Alcohol

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Alcohol Denat.

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Antioxidant
2 / 0 Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Azelaic Acid

Buffering
Good for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne Icon

BHT

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Butylene Glycol Cocoate

Emulsifying
Can worsen Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Decyl Glucoside

Cleansing

Diacetyl Boldine

Skin Conditioning

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Dipotassium Phosphate

Buffering

Disodium EDTA

Disodium Phosphate

Buffering

Ethylcellulose

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Glyceryl Oleate

Emollient
Fragrance IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hexylene Glycol

Emulsifying
0-2 / 0-1

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Parfum

Masking
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Phenethyl Alcohol

Masking

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Polysilicone-11

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Potassium Phosphate

Buffering

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Chloride

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Cholate

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Tranexamic Acid

Astringent
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine

Skin Conditioning

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.

This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.

However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.

Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.

This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.

Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.

Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.

The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.

Also...

This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.

The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.
Buffering, Masking

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

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 even out skin tone.

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.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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
Cosmetic Colorant

Mica refers to a group of silicate minerals. Mica crystals are easily split to give products a shimmer. These crystals are able to reflect light to temporarily give your skin a glowy look.

Mica is found to be safe. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.

Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.

Mica can be naturally found throughout the world. However, some sources of mica may be controversial. In 2016, mica mined in the Jharkhand state in India was found to be using child labor. However, companies are able to source ethical mica affiliated with international organizations that monitor the mica supply chain.

Learn more about Mica
Masking, Perfuming

Parfum 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 Parfum
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.

Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

When to use

146 Routines
47% use in am
53% use in pm
88% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
1 Routine
100% use in am
0% use in pm
100% use every day

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