Shani Darden Hydration Peptide Cream Versus Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Acne Eliminating Gel

Shani Darden Hydration Peptide Cream Versus Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Acne Eliminating Gel

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This acne treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Propanediol

Squalane

Glycerin

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Niacinamide

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Ceramide Ng

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract

Hydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Tocopherol

Tribehenin

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Lactic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Phytate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Lecithin

Betaine

Erythritol

Sodium Hydroxide

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Squalane, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ng, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Betaine, Erythritol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol

Salicylic Acid 2%

Alcohol Denat.

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Potassium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 20

Carnitine

Vitex Agnus Castus Extract

Glutathione

Bisabolol

Phytic Acid

Glycolic Acid

Ferulic Acid

Retinol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Farnesol

Sodium Pantothenate

Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Phospholipids

Saccharide Isomerate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Soy Isoflavones

Zinc PCA

Ethoxydiglycol

Octoxynol-9

Disodium EDTA

Potassium Gluconate

Citric Acid

Pentasodium Pentetate

Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Alcohol Denat., Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Carnitine, Vitex Agnus Castus Extract, Glutathione, Bisabolol, Niacinamide, Phytic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Retinol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Farnesol, Sodium Pantothenate, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soy Isoflavones, Zinc PCA, Ethoxydiglycol, Octoxynol-9, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Pentasodium Pentetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

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.

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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