Versus

Revolution Beauty Blemish and Pore Refining Serum 10% Niacinamide + 1% Zinc Versus Apolosophy Active+ Niacinamide

Serum
Serum
British Brand United Kingdom
Swedish Brand Sweden

Updated on July 25, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

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 harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

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

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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
Solvent

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.ย 

Itโ€™s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol
Smoothing

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

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.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Zinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.

It can help reduce redness, regulate sebum, and promote the general healing process of the skin.

Zinc PCA tends to be especially useful for those with oily, acne-prone skin. It's certainly an ingredient worth trying out!

Learn more about Zinc PCA
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
Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Xanthan 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
Preservative

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate

When to use

99 Routines
45% use in am
55% use in pm
95% 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

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Revolution Beauty Blemish and Pore Refining Serum 10% Niacinamide + 1% Zinc 10 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Broke Me Out (1) Great Value (1) Light (1)
Amarantha's avatar

Amarantha

7 months ago
Review

I had a break out after I started using this but didn't make the connection at first. After about a week I thought this might be the culprit and stopped using to see if that was the case and it indeed was. And oh my goodness, it smells horribly. So yeah, there it goes to the trash can. I've also decided that dedicated niacinamide products are pointless since there's niacinamide in pretty much Show more

#broke me out
#strong scent
ronyyy13's avatar

Rony

2 months ago
Review

It's fine, but it didn't help me with my pores at all ๐Ÿ™ƒ. Otherwise no problem, there were no breakouts or anything for me.

#great value
#light
#sticky
#light scent

Apolosophy Active+ Niacinamide 14 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Broke Me Out (1) Great Value (1) Light (1)
starstellastar_407's avatar

starstellastar_407

1 year ago
Review

Niacinamide just needs to not be in this high of a concentration. STOP IT! >:<

#great value
#broke me out
helleng's avatar

Hellen G

10 months ago
Review

I use this as a spot treatment on pimples and spots to regulate oil and sebum and brighten the affected areas. It takes me a while to go through the serum as a result of this but it works well for my needs. Since I have sensitive skin I canโ€™t apply it all over my face on a daily basis, otherwise it causes irritation.

#light
#sticky
#works well