Skin science article
BYOMA Clarifying Serum Versus The INKEY List Niacinamide Oil Control Serum
BYOMA Clarifying Serum Versus The INKEY List Niacinamide Oil Control Serum This acne serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Gluconolactone to clear breakouts and balance excess oil. This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide to balance excess
BYOMA Clarifying Serum Versus The INKEY List Niacinamide Oil Control Serum
This acne serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Gluconolactone to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.
This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Niacinamide
1,2-Hexanediol
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Gluconolactone
Glyceryl Caprylate
Ceramide NP
Cholesterol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Phytosphingosine
Stearic Acid
Oleic Acid
Zinc Lactate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Ethylhexylglycerin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Sodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Lactic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Gluconolactone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Zinc Lactate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Propanediol
Butylene Glycol
Phenoxyethanol
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Phospholipids
Squalane
Xanthan Gum
Glycine Soja Oil
Allantoin
Polysorbate 60
Panthenol
Glycolipids
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Sorbitan Isostearate
Glycine Soja Sterols
Citric Acid
Hyaluronic Acid
Disodium Phosphate
Sodium Phosphate
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phospholipids, Squalane, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Allantoin, Sodium Phytate, Polysorbate 60, Panthenol, Glycolipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Citric Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate
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.
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.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
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.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
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!