Florence by Mills Dreamy Drops Clarifying Serum Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Florence by Mills Dreamy Drops Clarifying Serum Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

This calming serum is formulated around Hyaluronic Acid and Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water to calm redness and hydrate skin.

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

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil Ethyl Esters

Hyaluronic Acid

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Rosa Gallica Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Caffeine

Propanediol

Carbomer

Triheptanoin

C13-15 Alkane

Sodium Phytate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydroxyacetophenone

Methylglucamine

Pentylene Glycol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Lactate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium PCA

Citric Acid

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil Ethyl Esters, Hyaluronic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Propanediol, Carbomer, Triheptanoin, C13-15 Alkane, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Methylglucamine, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium PCA, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol

Niacinamide 10%

Zinc PCA 1%

Dimethyl Isosorbide

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

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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.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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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