Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Clear Soothing Cream

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Clear Soothing Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and balance excess oil. This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide an

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Versus Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Clear Soothing Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and balance excess oil.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Propanediol

Betaine

Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Magnesium Sulfate

Glycosphingolipids

Glycolipids

Sodium Benzoate

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Oleic Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Citric Acid

Polyglycerin-3

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Magnesium Sulfate, Glycosphingolipids, Glycolipids, Sodium Benzoate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Oleic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Polyglycerin-3

Butylene Glycol

Dicaprylyl Ether

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Pentylene Glycol

Vinyldimethicone

Caprylyl Methicone

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Panthenol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Dimethiconol

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Tromethamine

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Xanthan Gum

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Fructooligosaccharides

Sodium Phytate

Allantoin

Lactobacillus Ferment

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Yeast Ferment Extract

Tocopherol

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Madecassoside

Beta-Glucan

Centella Asiatica Extract

Asiaticoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiatic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Vinyldimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Sodium Phytate, Allantoin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Yeast Ferment Extract, Tocopherol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Madecassoside, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid

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.

Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.

As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

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.

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 Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  3. 03Glycerin
  4. 04Butylene Glycol
  5. 05Pentaerythrityl Distearate
  6. 06Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
  7. 07Cetearyl Olivate
  8. 08Phenoxyethanol
  9. 09Benzyl Alcohol
  10. 10Sorbitan Olivate
  11. 11Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
  12. 12Sodium Hydroxide
  13. 13Sodium Hyaluronate
  14. 14Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
  15. 15Copernicia Cerifera Cera
  16. 16Propanediol
  17. 17Glycogen
  18. 18Sodium Gluconate
  19. 19Retinol
  20. 20Polysorbate 20
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List PHA Toner

The Inkey List PHA Toner The Inkey List PHA Toner ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice,…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid

The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxa…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

The Inkey List Bakuchiol

The Inkey List Bakuchiol The Inkey List Bakuchiol ingredients explained: Aqua (Water/Eau), Squalane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil (Sacha Inchi Oil), Dicaprylyl Carbo…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side