Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Detailed comparison of Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles. This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores. No concerns Water Dimethyl Isosorbide Ascorbic Acid Laureth-23 Glycerin Tocopherol Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract Ferulic Acid Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract Propanediol Gluconolactone Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Sodium Hyaluronate Oryza Sativa Bran Extract Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane Pentylene Glycol Caprylhydroxamic Acid Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Sorbic Acid Phenoxyethanol Sodium Benzoate Caprylyl Glycol Chondrus Crispus Extract Ethylhexylglycerin Water, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Laureth-23, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract, Ferulic Acid, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin Niacinamide 10% Zinc PCA 1% Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum Xanthan 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 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. 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 larg