The INKEY List SuperSolutions 10% Azelaic Serum Redness Relief Solution Versus Dr Sam’s Flawless Brightly Serum

The INKEY List SuperSolutions 10% Azelaic Serum Redness Relief Solution Versus Dr Sam’s Flawless Brightly Serum

This calming serum is formulated around Azelaic Acid to calm redness and clear breakouts.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Azelaic Acid

Propanediol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Phenoxyethanol

Acacia Senegal Gum

Xanthan Gum

Allantoin

Glycerin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Maltodextrin

Sodium Hydroxide

Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Polylysine

Water, Azelaic Acid, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Polylysine

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Niacinamide

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Cetearyl Olivate

Bakuchiol

Sorbitan Olivate

Benzyl Alcohol

Disodium EDTA

Dehydroacetic Acid

Water, Azelaic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Bakuchiol, Sorbitan Olivate, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid

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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.

Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.

What makes it special?

OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.

Here's what each tier does best:

Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.

Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.

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.

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.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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