Nivea Crème Versus Cien Q10 Intense Night Cream
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Sulfate
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Aluminum Stearates
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantLimonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cera Microcristallina, Glycerin, Lanolin Alcohol, Paraffin, Panthenol, Magnesium Sulfate, Decyl Oleate, Octyldodecanol, Aluminum Stearates, Citric Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Limonene, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panicum Miliaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Tannic Acid
AstringentChlorella Vulgaris/Lupinus Albus Protein Ferment
Skin ConditioningColeus Forskohlii Root Extract
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Parfum, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Benzoic Acid, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panicum Miliaceum Seed Extract, Citric Acid, Ubiquinone, Sodium Anisate, Alcohol Denat., Citronellol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Caffeine, Benzyl Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Tannic Acid, Chlorella Vulgaris/Lupinus Albus Protein Ferment, Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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 Water
