Dr. Sensitive Niacinamide 5% & Salicylic Acid Serum Versus Dr. Sensitive Collagen + Vitamin C Serum

Dr. Sensitive Niacinamide 5% & Salicylic Acid Serum Versus Dr. Sensitive Collagen + Vitamin C Serum

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

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Propanediol

PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Carbomer

Triethanolamine

Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

Methylparaben

Xanthan Gum

Hyaluronic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Salicylic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Methylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salicylic Acid

Glycereth-26

Propylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Ascorbic Acid

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Sodium Ethylparaben

Pvm/Ma Copolymer

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Panthenol

Phenoxyethanol

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Sodium Ethylparaben, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Panthenol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylparaben, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum

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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.

Caprylhydroxamic Acid is a chelating agent that helps cosmetics stay fresh, stable, and consistent over time.

Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted reactions and effects from using the product. It also helps prevent the growth of unwanted microbes in products that contain water.

Caprylhydroxamic Acid is often used with natural antimicrobial products as an alternative to preservatives.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Methylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.

Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.

This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.

In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.

Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:

Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.

You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.

It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.

There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.

But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted 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.

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!

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