Remedy For Dark Spots Versus Musely The Spot Cream
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Soy Acid
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glutathione
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Kojic Dipalmitate
Emollient
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Trideceth-6 Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Dimethicone, Tranexamic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Soy Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Glutathione, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Kojic Dipalmitate, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Retinol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ceramide NP, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Laureth-23, Trideceth-6 Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate
Hydroquinone 12%
Stabilising
Niacinamide 2%
Smoothing
Hydrocortisone 1%
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Bisulfate
Buffering
BHT
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Bis-Vinyldimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Ceteth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Laureth-12
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-75 Stearate
Surfactant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Polysilicone-11
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Propylene Carbonate
SolventSilica
Abrasive
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Steareth-20
CleansingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Hydroquinone 12%, Niacinamide 2%, Hydrocortisone 1%, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Bisulfate, BHT, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Bis-Vinyldimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ceteth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Stearate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isododecane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Lecithin, Ozokerite, PEG-75 Stearate, Petrolatum, Polysilicone-11, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Silica Silylate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sorbic Acid, Steareth-20, Titanium Dioxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about Niacinamide
