Native Aloe & Vitamin B3 Sensitive Facial Serum Versus Osmosis Beauty Catalyst AC-11 DNA Repair C Serum
This calming serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveKetoglutaric Acid
Ascorbic Acid
AntioxidantGlycine
BufferingPropanediol
SolventProline
Skin ConditioningLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
MaskingUncaria Tomentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Cysteine
AntioxidantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Glycerin
HumectantMagnesium Chloride
Butylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Sodium Bicarbonate, Ketoglutaric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Glycine, Propanediol, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Alanine, Zinc Gluconate, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Uncaria Tomentosa Extract, Copper Gluconate, Acetyl Cysteine, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glycerin, Magnesium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate
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 Powder comes from the aloe plant.
You may know Aloe to be a good sunburn reliever and inflammation reducer. This is because it contains many components that are known to help reduce irritation and itchiness.
Aloe leaves are also great moisturizers. They are naturally rich in polysaccharides, a carbohydrate made of sugars. Polysaccharides are able to mimic the carbs found in the top layer of your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
Aloe contains the antioxidants Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins neutralize free radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe does not protect against UV rays, despite it soothing sunburns.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice PowderBenzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan 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