Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Good Molecules 5% Niacinamide Serum With Ectoin Versus Paula's Choice 7% Ectoin Booster

Good Molecules 5% Niacinamide Serum With Ectoin Versus Paula's Choice 7% Ectoin Booster This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Glucosamine to fade the look of dark spots and strengthen the skin barrier. This barrier-repair serum is

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Good Molecules 5% Niacinamide Serum With Ectoin Versus Paula's Choice 7% Ectoin Booster

This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Glucosamine to fade the look of dark spots and strengthen the skin barrier.

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Ectoin and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Niacinamide

Dipropylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Acetyl Glucosamine

Glycerin

Ectoin

Betaine

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Citrate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tocopherol

Citric Acid

Water, Niacinamide, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Glycerin, Ectoin, Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid

Isopentyldiol

Triethylhexanoin

Diisopropyl Adipate

Isoamyl Laurate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Undecane

Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate

Squalane

Tridecane

Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydroxyacetophenone

Glycogen

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

Sodium Phytate

Stearalkonium Hectorite

Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

Water, Ectoin, Isopentyldiol, Triethylhexanoin, Diisopropyl Adipate, Isoamyl Laurate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Undecane, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Squalane, Tridecane, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycogen, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

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.

Ectoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.

This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.

When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.

Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:

A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.

Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.

In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:

Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.

Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.

The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  4. 04It 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.
  5. 05On 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.
  6. 06Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  7. 07You'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.
  8. 08Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  9. 09Safety-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.
  10. 10Adverse 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.
  11. 11Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!).
  12. 12It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells.
  13. 13That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid.
  14. 14Retinol is converted to biologically active retinoic acid via retinaldehyde by dehydrogenases in a two-step oxidation process.
  15. 15Each step is a little "upgrade" toward the active form which is part of why Retinol is gentler than prescription Retinoic Acid; your skin does the work gradually. This also explains where Retinol sits in the retinoid family.
  16. 16Here is the retinoid family ranked roughly by strength: Retinyl Esters (like Retinyl Palmitate) < Retinol < Retinaldehyde < Retinoic Acid.
  17. 17Retinoid activity increases in that order, while tolerance runs in reverse; retinyl esters are the gentlest and retinoic acid the most irritating.
  18. 18The more conversion steps an ingredient needs, the gentler (and slower) it tends to be, so Retinol lands in a nice middle spot. It's more effective than the esters, gentler than prescription options.
  19. 19Once it becomes Retinoic Acid, it binds to receptors inside your cells' nuclei (called RARs and RXRs). These receptor pairs bind to specific DNA motifs called retinoic acid response elements and act like switches that turn certain genes on or off.
  20. 20In practice, this means a few things happen in a formula. It:
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles