Somethinc Salmon DNA + Marine Collagen Elixir Versus Sunday Riley B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum

Somethinc Salmon DNA + Marine Collagen Elixir Versus Sunday Riley B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.

This calming serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Resveratrol to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Sea Water 62%

Glycerin

Water

Methylpropanediol

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Betaine

DNA

Adenosine

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Potassium Sorbate

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Amino Esters-1

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Allantoin

Caffeine

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Sodium Metabisulfite

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Pearl Powder

Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Biotin

Tocopherol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sea Water 62%, Glycerin, Water, Methylpropanediol, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, DNA, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Caffeine, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Pearl Powder, Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Biotin, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Phenyl Trimethicone

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Octyldodecanol

Resveratrol

Diglucosyl Gallic Acid

Asiaticoside

Madecassoside

Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside

Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol

PEG-8

Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract

Citrus Grandis Peel Extract

Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Sodium Phytate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Dimethicone

Trideceth-6

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Chlorphenesin

Triethyl Citrate

Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Octyldodecanol, Resveratrol, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Betaine, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, PEG-8, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Extract, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Sodium Phytate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Trideceth-6, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Triethyl Citrate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract is the extract from the flowers of the aloe vera plant. In cosmetics, it functions as a skin conditioning agent.

Here's the honest part: most of the famous "aloe" research is on the leaf and this flower extract is much less studied. It shouldn't be assumed to do everything the gel is known for.

However, there is a small body of flower-specific research that is interesting to take a look at.

The flowers of Aloe vera contain volatile compounds and ascorbic acid. And when researchers looked closer, they found the flower is rich in antioxidants called phenolics that lined up with the extract's strong antioxidant activity.

This extract also showed some ability to fight off a common bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) in lab tests.

In lab and mouse studies, those phenolic compounds behaved like solid antioxidants though human skin trials on the flower extract are still needed.

Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty assuring. The CIR Expert Panel deems this ingredient safe in current practices of use and only rare cases of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis have been reported.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract is also known as Ivy Gourd Fruit Extract. It has skin conditioning properties.

The fruit is rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, and sterols that show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro. This is because the fruit contains a thick mucilage that forms a protective and soothing layer on the skin's surface.

The extract itself has demonstrated antioxidant, soothing, and potential anti-allergy properties.

Most of this research is done in vitro and dedicated clinical studies on topical application are still limited.

Curcuma Longa Root Extract comes from the rhizome (underground stem) of the turmeric plant.

While the official EU Cosing Database lists this ingredient as a fragrance, it actually does more than give products a scent.

This ingredient contains a group of yellow pigments called curcuminoids (mostly curcumin) that give it genuine antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in skin.

Reviews of topical clinical studies have found turmeric/curcumin to be generally well-tolerated and useful across conditions like eczema and mild inflammation.

One thing working in its favor is that curcumin barely penetrates; in lab skin-permeation testing, the curcuminoids mostly stayed in the outermost layer of skin. This is a good thing because its soothing and antioxidant activity is a surface-level job anyway.

At this time, industry data shows there's no single "correct" cosmetic percentage. It's used across a wide range depending on the product and varies from tiny fractions of a percent up to a few percent.

Allergy-wise, curcumin is a documented (but uncommon) contact allergen. It can also cross react with related plants, so anyone with a turmeric/ginger/cinnamon allergy or reactive skin should patch test first.

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.

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

The flowers of this tree are lilac colored.

This ingredient is also known as neem leaf extract. It contains natural compounds like nimbidin, quercetin, and other polyphenols that give it antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Lab studies have shown neem leaf extract can inhibit acne-related bacteria and help calm skin. Animal studies on wound gels using 1-3% neem leaf extract found it sped up healing without causing irritation.

A wound-healing study testing gels with the extract at 1%, 2%, and 3% concentrations and found none of them irritated the skin.

Most commercial products also use it in a similar low range (typically under 5%).

Allergy-wise, there are some case reports on neem oil causing allergic contact dermatitis so people with plant/botanical sensitivities may want to patch test first.

We don't have a description for Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract yet.

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract comes from the Holy Basil plant. Holy Basil is native to India.

Holy Basil is rich in antioxidants due to its high romarinic acid, ferulic acid, and rutin content. This gives it skin brightening and soothing properties.

While Holy Basil has many claims to help fight acne, more research is needed.

One thing to note is the presence of tannins; tannins are naturally found in nature. However, this compound may be skin-sensitizing.

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.

This ingredient comes from eggplant (or aubergine). It has skin conditioning properties due to its abundance of antioxidants like Chlorogenic Acid, Caffeic Acid, and Nasunin.

Nasunin is the pigment concentrated in the purple peel and has demonstrated the abilityu to neutralize free radicals and bind excess iron in lab studies.

Lab studies have shown that eggplant extracts can lower oxidative stress and protect skin cell membranes from damage. A 2025 study found that specific compounds in eggplant (particularly a phenolamide called N-Trans-Feruloylputrescine) may support skin health by neutralizing 2-nonenal, a byproduct linked to aging skin.

Overall, this is a gentle, well-tolerated ingredient that adds a little extra antioxidant support to your routine.

Those with nighshade vegetable allergies (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes) should patch test as eggplant is part of the same family.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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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