Updated on December 04, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 6 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, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, 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
Swisse Bio-Retinol 0.5% Vitamin B3 10% Renewing Booster Serum 26 ingredients
Garnier Pure Active AHA + BHA Charcoal Serum 23 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Swisse Bio-Retinol 0.5% Vitamin B3 10% Renewing Booster Serum 26 ingredients
Garnier Pure Active AHA + BHA Charcoal Serum 23 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
Coco-Caprylate is created from fatty coconut alcohol and caprylic acid.
Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate is created from polyethylene glycol and fatty acids from coconut oil.
3 Benefits
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant (it's vegan!). It is often called the replacement for retinol although it is not part of the same family.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a type of hyaluronic acid. In fact, it is modified version of hyaluronic acid.
C13-15 Alkane is a group of alkanes with 13 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Glycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
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.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
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.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, C13-15 Alkane, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Glycine Soja Oil, Heptyl Undecylenate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Heptyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
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.
5 Concerns
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
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.
Hydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant and helps with skin conditioning.
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside is an alkyl glucoside. This just means it is creating by reacting alcohol and sugar. It is a cleansing and foaming ingredient.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
6 Benefits 3 Concerns
Lactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.
Helps brighten skin May worsen Rosacea
Phytic Acid is a gentle AHA and antioxidant. The chemical makeup makes it classified as an AHA, such as lactic acid.
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate isn't fungal acne safe.
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate is a skin conditioner with emollient and emulsifier properties.
This ingredient is a preservative with antimicrobial properties. It is the sodium salt of dehydroacetic acid.
Preservative 5 Benefits 4 Concerns
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Water, Alcohol Denat., Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Charcoal Powder, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Phytic Acid, Polyglycerin-10, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Salicylic Acid, CI 17200, CI 19140, CI 42090, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideGlycerin 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 GlycerinPropanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
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 PropanediolCitric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidSodium 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 HydroxideIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Swisse Bio-Retinol 0.5% Vitamin B3 10% Renewing Booster Serum 26 ingredients
Garnier Pure Active AHA + BHA Charcoal Serum 23 ingredients
