Dermalogica AGE Bright Spot Fader Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Dermalogica AGE Bright Spot Fader Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

This brightening treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and clear breakouts.

This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Niacinamide

Propanediol

Salicylic Acid

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Caprylyl Methicone

Glycereth-26

Saccharide Isomerate

Hexylresorcinol

Salvia Sclarea Oil

Malic Acid

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Salvia Sclarea Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Lavandula Hybrida Oil

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Carrageenan

Thymol

Terpineol

Pullulan

Lecithin

Glycerin

Dimethyl Isosorbide

PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Citrate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Silica

Tocopherol

Sea Salt

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Benzoic Acid

Aminomethyl Propanol

Limonene

Linalool

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Caprylyl Methicone, Glycereth-26, Saccharide Isomerate, Hexylresorcinol, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Malic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Carrageenan, Thymol, Terpineol, Pullulan, Lecithin, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Silica, Tocopherol, Sea Salt, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol

Niacinamide 10%

Pentylene Glycol

Zinc PCA 1%

Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum

Isoceteth-20

Ethoxydiglycol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Niacinamide 10%, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc PCA 1%, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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.

Dimethyl Isosorbide (often shortened to DMI) is a sugar-derived solvent made from sorbitol. It's used to dissolve tricky ingredients and help them mix smoothly into a formula.

Many actives sit as gritty crystals when undissolved, so DMI swoops in to full dissolve them. This helps improve texture, stability, and how evenly an active is distributed.

It does have a penetration-enhancing reputation that is a bit more nuanced than marketing suggests; a cell study on human skin found that 10% DMI didn't significantly boost the permeation of Hydroquinone, Salicylic Acid, or Octadecenedioic Acid compared to controls (though it did improve their solubility in the formula itself).

Typical usage concentrations usually range from 1-10% depending on the formula's needs; this ingredient is also well tolerated at these levels.

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.

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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