Biossance Squalane + 10% Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum Versus Allies of Skin Prebiotics & Niacinamide Pore Refining Booster

Biossance Squalane + 10% Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum Versus Allies of Skin Prebiotics & Niacinamide Pore Refining Booster

This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Squalane to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

This pore-care serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide to refine the look of pores and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Squalane

Lentinus Edodes Mycelium Extract

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Citric Acid

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Acacia Senegal Gum

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Gluconate

Sodium Citrate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Lentinus Edodes Mycelium Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Niacinamide

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Punica Granatum Extract

Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract

Lactobacillus

Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice

Bisabolol

Silver

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3

Lysophosphatidic Acid

Lysolecithin

Lecithin

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate

Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract

Ribose

Ubiquinone

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Saccharide Isomerate

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Astaxanthin

Ergothioneine

Glutathione

Tocopheryl Acetate

Sea Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Maltodextrin

Polysorbate 20

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Bisabolol, Silver, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3, Lysophosphatidic Acid, Lysolecithin, Lecithin, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ribose, Ubiquinone, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Astaxanthin, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sea Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Maltodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

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.

This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.

It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.

Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.

Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.

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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