The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Versus Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream with Microbiome Technology
This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
This calming moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientTrisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Isostearyl Palmitate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Asparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin Protecting
Algae Extract
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Glycine
Buffering
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingDecarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Trisiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sucrose, Isostearyl Palmitate, PEG-100 Stearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Algae Extract, Caffeine, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyethylene, Glyceryl Stearate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbitol, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cholesterol, Linoleic Acid, Glycine, Inulin, Tromethamine, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Phytosphingosine, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Squalane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 42090, CI 19140, CI 77289, CI 77891, Mica
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol 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
