Allies of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum Versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

Allies of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum Versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

This brightening serum is formulated around Mandelic Acid and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and refine skin texture.

This smoothing treatment is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Mandelic Acid

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Polysorbate 20

Lactic Acid

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil

Salicylic Acid

Superoxide Dismutase

Bakuchiol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Rumex Occidentalis Extract

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Nonapeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40

Pterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract

Glutamic Acid

Phenyl T-Butylnitrone

Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Panthenol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ascorbic Acid

Tocopherol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Xanthan Gum

Sclerotium Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Sorbitol

Dextran

Sodium Gluconate

Disodium Succinate

Acetyl Tributyl Citrate

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Sodium Hydroxide

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Mandelic Acid, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polysorbate 20, Lactic Acid, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Salicylic Acid, Superoxide Dismutase, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40, Pterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract, Glutamic Acid, Phenyl T-Butylnitrone, Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitol, Dextran, Sodium Gluconate, Disodium Succinate, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Glycolic Acid

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Cetearyl Glucoside

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Triethyl Citrate

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Cholesterol

Phenylethyl Resorcinol

Isopropyl Myristate

Citric Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Phytosphingosine

Benzoic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Glycerin (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.

Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.

Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.

Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.

Like glycolic acid, it can:

Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.

Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.

To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.

Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.

Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.

When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

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.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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