Nu Skin ageLOC® Radiant Day SPF 22 Versus Nu Skin Nutricentials Pumps

Nu Skin ageLOC® Radiant Day SPF 22 Versus Nu Skin Nutricentials Pumps

This hydrating serum is formulated around Squalane and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to hydrate skin and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 5%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%

Octocrylene 2%

Water

Glycerin

Cyclopentasiloxane

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Dimethicone

Cyclohexasiloxane

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Cetyl Alcohol

Methyl Gluceth-10

Steareth-2

Steareth-21

Isohexadecane

Nylon-12

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Jojoba Esters

Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract

Glucosamine Hcl

Pisum Sativum Extract

Hexapeptide-2

Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract

Salicin

Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Polysorbate 80

Titanium Dioxide

Butylene Glycol

Citric Acid

Disodium EDTA

Parfum

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Tropolone

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4%, Octocrylene 2%, Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Methyl Gluceth-10, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Isohexadecane, Nylon-12, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Glucosamine Hcl, Pisum Sativum Extract, Hexapeptide-2, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Salicin, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polysorbate 80, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tropolone

Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Propanediol

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Squalane

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Collagen Amino Acids

Rhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract

Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract

Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract

Inonotus Obliquus Extract

Rhodiola Rosea Extract

Xanthan Gum

Glyceryl Glucoside

Tocopheryl Acetate

Sclerotium Gum

Lecithin

Pullulan

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Silica

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Pentylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Propanediol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Collagen Amino Acids, Rhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Extract, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Silica, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

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!

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