Ziaja Vitamin C.B3 Niacinamide Skin Renewal Wake Me Up Face Cream Morning Energy Boost Versus Transparent Lab Niacinamide Glow Cream
This brightening day moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide Ng to brighten dull-looking skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCalcium Pantothenate
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentSilica
AbrasiveCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Octyldodecanol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Maltodextrin, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientBetaine
HumectantEthyl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningIsosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningPCA
HumectantLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLysine
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingAlanine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Arginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningMatrixyl 3000
Magnesium Chloride
Potassium Chloride
Manganese Chloride
Skin ConditioningAluminum Chloride
AstringentCopper Sulfate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientZinc Chloride
AntimicrobialMalic Acid
BufferingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Lactic Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Triheptanoin, Dimethicone, Betaine, Ethyl Macadamiate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Sodium PCA, Ceramide Ng, PCA, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lysine, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Glutamic Acid, Gluconolactone, Matrixyl 3000, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Chloride, Aluminum Chloride, Copper Sulfate, Tocopherol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Zinc Chloride, Malic Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Trideceth-6, Sodium Phytate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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