Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum Versus Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster

Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum Versus Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster

This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Tranexamic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

This pore-care treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Glucosamine to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Tranexamic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Diethoxyethyl Succinate

1,2-Hexanediol

Arbutin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Alpha-Arbutin

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract

Prunus Persica Flower Extract

Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil

Yeast Ferment Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract

Glucose

Hyaluronic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Betaine Salicylate

Sucrose Palmitate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Gellan Gum

Sodium Phytate

Cellulose

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Panthenol

Cyanocobalamin

Polyglutamic Acid

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Ceramide NP

Dextrin

Asiaticoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiatic Acid

Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Potassium Hyaluronate

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Xanthan Gum

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arbutin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alpha-Arbutin, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Yeast Ferment Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Glucose, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine Salicylate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Cyanocobalamin, Polyglutamic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide NP, Dextrin, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum

Acetyl Glucosamine

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Phospholipids

Allantoin

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Ubiquinone

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Beta-Glucan

Carnosine

Genistein

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Hydroxide

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ubiquinone, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Beta-Glucan, Panthenol, Carnosine, Genistein, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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.

Niacinamide 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.

Panthenol 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.

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.

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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