Earth Rhythm 10% Niacinamide + Phyto Ceramides + Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus The Derma Co 10% Vitamin C Face Serum

Earth Rhythm 10% Niacinamide + Phyto Ceramides + Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus The Derma Co 10% Vitamin C Face Serum

This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to balance excess oil and strengthen the skin barrier.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Polysilicone-11

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 40

Ethoxydiglycol

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Ceramide NP

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Panthenol

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Polysilicone-11, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 40, Ethoxydiglycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Propanediol

Pentylene Glycol

Methylpropanediol

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Ascorbic Acid

Ferulic Acid

Gluconolactone

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Phytate

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Metabisulfite

Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate

Calcium Gluconate

Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate

Citric Acid

Hydrated Silica

Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ferulic Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Phytate, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Citric Acid, Hydrated Silica

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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.

Ethoxydiglycol (aka Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether) is one of the cosmetic world's quiet problem solvers.

In a formula, it is a solvent that dissolves tricky ingredients that don't want to mix in and helps spread ingredients evenly across your skin without leaving a greasy or sticky feeling

This makes it great for hard-to-dissolve actives like vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and self-tanner DHA.

It also has mild humectant and penetration enhancer abilities so it can help some actives absorb a little deeper.

The penetration boost is backed by lab research: studies using human skin samples found it improved how well an active dissolves into the upper layer of skin rather than tearing down your skin barrier. Reviews of its mechanism also describe it interacting gently with the lipids and water in your outermost layer of skin.

Just know this penetration-enhancing effect is not universal. It helps a lot in some formulas and did very little in others (so the benefit really depends on the specific product).

Safety-wise, the evidence is reassuring. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed it and concluded it's safe for use in cosmetics and recognized it as non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-comedogenic in skincare.

Typical leave-on skincare usage lands around 1-10%. The EU has sets caps of 2.6% in non-spray products, 10% in rinse-offs, 7% in oxidative hair dye, and 5% in non-oxidative hair dye.

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.

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!

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