Simple Skincare Booster Serum 10% Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) Versus Nivea Luminous Anti-Spot Treatment
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tapioca Starch
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPantolactone
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Panthenol, Tapioca Starch, Coco-Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Pantolactone, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
Bleaching
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carrageenan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Methylpropanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Tapioca Starch, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocoglycerides, Octyldodecanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTapioca starch is a thickening agent and is made from the cassava root, also known as yucca.
According to a manufacturer, it is an excellent talc replacement.
It is gluten-free.
Learn more about Tapioca StarchTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
