Skintific 10% Niacinamide Brightening Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum

Skintific 10% Niacinamide Brightening Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Alpha-Arbutin to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol

PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether

Centella Asiatica Extract

Gentiana Scabra Root Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Yeast Extract

Crocus Sativus Flower Extract

Alpha-Arbutin

Ceramide NP

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil

Sphingolipids

Ceramide As

Ceramide AP

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide Ng

1,2-Hexanediol

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Allantoin

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Pentylene Glycol

Isohexadecane

Tranexamic Acid

Fructose

Aminomethyl Propanol

Propanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Disodium EDTA

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Phosphatidylcholine

Phytosterols

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Parfum

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Soy Amino Acids

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Centella Asiatica Extract, Gentiana Scabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Yeast Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Alpha-Arbutin, Ceramide NP, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Sphingolipids, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Allantoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Tranexamic Acid, Fructose, Aminomethyl Propanol, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phosphatidylcholine, Phytosterols, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Soy Amino Acids, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dimethicone

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Tocotrienols

Tocopherol

Ubiquinone

Thioctic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Ferulic Acid

Beta-Glucan

Superoxide Dismutase

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Ergothioneine

Glutathione

Xanthophylls

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Glycerin

Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract

Lupinus Albus Seed Extract

Curcuma Longa Root

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ceramide NP, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Thioctic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ferulic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Superoxide Dismutase, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Xanthophylls, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycerin, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

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.

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