Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare B³Adaptive SuperFoods™ Stress Repair Face Cream Versus First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Eye Cream

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare B³Adaptive SuperFoods™ Stress Repair Face Cream Versus First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Eye Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Propanediol

Niacinamide

Glycerin

Squalane

Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract

Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract

Cordyceps Sinensis Extract

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract

Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract

Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Sterols

Curcuma Longa Root Oil

Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract

Grifola Frondosa Extract

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract

Inonotus Obliquus Extract

Perilla Frutescens Extract

Withania Somnifera Root Extract

Asparagus Racemosus Root Extract

Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Zingiber Officinale Root Oil

Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Oleic Acid

Lecithin

Lysolecithin

Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine

Beta-Sitosterol

Phospholipids

Sphingolipids

Colloidal Oatmeal

Ceramide Ng

Adenosine

Sodium PCA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Panthenol

Allantoin

Tocopherol

Lactic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Phytic Acid

Cyclodextrin

Citric Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Polyacrylate-13

Polyisobutene

Polysorbate 20

Maltodextrin

Sorbitan Isostearate

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Squalane, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Cordyceps Sinensis Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Curcuma Longa Root Oil, Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract, Grifola Frondosa Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Perilla Frutescens Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Asparagus Racemosus Root Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Lecithin, Lysolecithin, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Beta-Sitosterol, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Colloidal Oatmeal, Ceramide Ng, Adenosine, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phytic Acid, Cyclodextrin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Maltodextrin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Dimethicone

Maris Aqua

Butylene Glycol

Polysilicone-11

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Mica

Gigartina Stellata/Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Caffeine

Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Hydroxyacetophenone

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides

Silica

Hexylene Glycol

Palmitic Acid

Stearic Acid

Polysorbate 60

Triolein

T-Butyl Alcohol

CI 77891

CI 77491

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Maris Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polysilicone-11, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Panthenol, Gigartina Stellata/Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Squalane, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Linoleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Silica, Hexylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Triolein, T-Butyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, CI 77891, CI 77491

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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.

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.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

Linoleic Acid is also known as Vitamin F. It is a fatty acid with emollient and skin conditioning properties.

Our top layer of skin, or epidermis, naturally contains high amounts of linoleic acid.

Your body uses linoleic acid to build ceramides and prostaglandins. Ceramides keep your skin's barrier hydrated and strong while prosaglandins help control inflammation and healing.

Needless to say, linoleic acid is crucial for having a strong skin barrier.

One study found applying linoleic acid rich sunflower oil to be more effective at repairing the skin barrier than olive oil.

This ingredient can also help treat acne by softening sebum to prevent clogged pores. Another study found using 2.5% linoleic acid gel for 4 weeks showed a 25% reduction in small comedones.

Studies show it can also help lighten hyperpigmentation or sun spots by disrupting the melanin production process. It also helps your skin shed melanin pigment from your skin caused by UV exposure.

Due to its role in the production of the fatty acid prostaglandin, linoleic acid can also help reduce inflammation and support wound healing.

Fun fact: Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid. This means our bodies cannot create it on its own and we need to get it through foods such as nuts and vegetable oils.

Just know this ingredient is not always fungal-acne safe because it is a long-chain fatty acid (with 18 carbon atoms) that directly feeds the Malassezia yeast responsible for fungal acne.

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.

Oleic Acid is an Omega-9 fatty acid that can be found naturally in your skin's sebum and in many plant oils such as avocado and olive oil.

It is an emollient that helps soften skin and prevent moisture loss.

Research shows:

A 1998 study did find that applying oleic acid at higher concentrations may cause irritation and disrupt the skin barrier. Modern formulations typically use low levels that is well-tolerated.

The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Oleic Acid, at C18, falls right into that sweet spot.

In vitro studies have shown that Oleic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

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.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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!

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