Musely The Spot Cream Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Musely The Spot Cream Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

This brightening treatment is formulated around Hydroquinone and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking 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

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Hydroquinone 12%

Niacinamide 2%

Hydrocortisone 1%

Glycerin

Alcohol Denat.

Sodium Bisulfate

BHT

Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Bis-Vinyldimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Ceteth-20

Cetyl Alcohol

Cyclohexasiloxane

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dicaprylyl Ether

Dimethicone

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Glyceryl Stearate

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Isododecane

Isopropyl Palmitate

Laureth-12

Lecithin

Ozokerite

PEG-75 Stearate

Petrolatum

Polysilicone-11

Potassium Sorbate

Propylene Carbonate

Silica

Silica Silylate

Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate

Sorbic Acid

Steareth-20

Titanium Dioxide

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Hydroquinone 12%, Niacinamide 2%, Hydrocortisone 1%, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Bisulfate, BHT, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Bis-Vinyldimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ceteth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Stearate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isododecane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Lecithin, Ozokerite, PEG-75 Stearate, Petrolatum, Polysilicone-11, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Silica Silylate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sorbic Acid, Steareth-20, Titanium Dioxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Water

Niacinamide 10%

Pentylene Glycol

Zinc PCA 1%

Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum

Xanthan Gum

Isoceteth-20

Ethoxydiglycol

Phenoxyethanol

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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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.

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