Wella Balance Energy Serum Versus Wella Balance Lotion
Updated on January 03, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both scalp treatments. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain niacinamide, Vitamin C and Vitamin E
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, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances and oils
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
Wella Balance Energy Serum 31 ingredients
Wella Balance Lotion 21 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Wella Balance Energy Serum 31 ingredients
Wella Balance Lotion 21 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicLauric Acid
Cleansing
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Menthol
Masking
Parfum
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-35 Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
PEG-20 Glyceryl Laurate
EmulsifyingHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linalool
Perfuming
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Caffeine, Biotin, Lauric Acid, Alcohol Denat., Water, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Menthol, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, PEG-35 Castor Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Salicylate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Laurate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Oleic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Tocopherol, Linoleic Acid, Linalool, Retinyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Valine
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Methylparaben
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Propylparaben
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Panthenol, Betaine, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Water, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Caffeine, Valine, Benzyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Oleic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Propylparaben, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and is rich in antioxidants.
While caffeine is used to treat cellulite and and dark circles, further studies are needed to prove this. It has been believed to help with these skin conditions due to its ability to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.
Some studies are looking into caffeine's ability to protect against UV rays.
Learn more about CaffeineWater. 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 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 NiacinamidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPeg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is derived from castor oil and polyethylene glycol (PEG). It is used as a emollient and emulsifier.
As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps make the other ingredients more soluble; it is often used to solubilize fragrances. This increases spreadability and elongates shelf life in a product.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
This ingredient may or may not be vegan, depending on the source.
Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil may not be fungal-acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any questions or concerns.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilOleic Acid is an Omega-9 fatty acid. It can be found in many plant oils such as avocado and marula oils.
This ingredient is used to enhance the texture of products and as a cleansing agent.
Oleic Acid may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Oleic AcidGlyceryl Oleate is the ester of glycerin and oleic acid. This ingredient is mainly an emollient and emulsifier.
Emollients soften and hydrate the skin by creating a thin film on top to trap in moisture. As an emulsifier, glyceryl oleate helps stabilize formulations by preventing ingredients such as oil and water from separating. According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps helps thicken water-in-oil formulations, shower gels, and hair shampoos.
In some products, this ingredient may be used as a fragrance / perfuming ingredient. The scent of this ingredient is described to be "waxy".
Glyceryl oleate is created from oils rich in oleic acid, such as peanut oil and olive oil.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of phospholipids.
This ingredient has emollient and emulsifying properties.
As an emollient, lecithen helps soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can also help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin.
This is because the phospholipids in lecithin produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that feeds fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinAscorbyl Palmitate is created by combining pure Vitamin C and palmitic acid. It is an antioxidant and helps reduce hyperpigmentation.
This ingredient is a more stable version of Vitamin C, meaning it does not disintegrate as quickly when exposed to sunlight. However, studies show it does not penetrate skin as well as pure Vitamin C.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is oil soluble.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate isn't fungal acne safe.
Ingredient Ratings
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