Peter Thomas Roth 24k Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Prism Face Cream Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles.
This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Trilaureth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-12
EmulsifyingCeteareth-20
CleansingColloidal Gold
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
Polyester-1
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77480
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Mica, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Homosalate, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyldodecanol, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-12, Ceteareth-20, Colloidal Gold, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, BHT, Persea Gratissima Oil, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Boron Nitride, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Tin Oxide, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Triethanolamine, Silica, Polyester-1, Benzoic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77480, CI 77891, CI 75470, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
