SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Serum
Benefits
Promise: Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
Discoloration can manifest in a range of ways, including post-acne marks and stubborn brown patches on the cheekbones, forehead, and upper lip.
This product might be able to help reduce blemishes and clogged pores because it contains niacinamide.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| niacinamide | HIGH |  |  |
| allantoin | LOW |  | |
Promise: Anti-aging
What does the product description say?
5% Niacinamide, a vitamin that boasts restorative qualities, aids in minimising enlarged pores and the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles while fighting against dull, lack-lustre skin.
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains niacinamide.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| niacinamide | HIGH | | |
Promise: Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
Discoloration Defense Serum
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: hydroxyethyl urea, kojic acid, niacinamide, tranexamic acid
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| kojic acid | HIGH | | |
| niacinamide | HIGH | | |
| tranexamic acid | HIGH | | |
Promise: Exfoliation
What does the product description say?
activates natural enzymes in skin to help break the bonds that bind dead skin cells to the surface for even exfoliation
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: hydroxyethyl urea.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| hydroxyethyl urea | HIGH | | |
| hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane sulfonic acid | MEDIUM | | |
| allantoin | LOW | | |
Promise: Moisturizing
What does the product description say?
Discoloration Defense is the latest-generation dark spot corrector, using a combination of potent and proven anti-discoloration ingredients—including new tranexamic acid—to address key types of skin discoloration.
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": glycerin, hydroxyethyl urea.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: niacinamide
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| glycerin | HIGH | | |
| hydroxyethyl urea | HIGH | | |
| niacinamide | HIGH | | |
Other benefit: Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (kojic acid) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| kojic acid | HIGH | | |
Honesty check
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Anti-aging | |
| Exfoliation | |
| Moisturizing | |
| Evens skin tone | |
| Anti-blemish |
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Potential irritants
| Ingredient | Irritancy | Skin Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| propylene glycol | | |
| kojic acid | | |
| hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane sulfonic acid | | |
User reviews (0)
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| WIMJ similarity score | 101% | 91% | 90% | 90% | 89% | 88% | 88% | 87% | 87% | 87% | |
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Ingredients & concentrations
- niacinamide
- glycerin
- hydroxyethyl urea
- hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane sulfonic acid
- kojic acid
- tranexamic acid
- +2 more
| Ingredient | Estimated concentration |
|---|---|
| 40% - 60% | |
| Plain old water | |
| 6% - 9.1% | |
| Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin | |
5%
Declared
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| Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production | |
5%
Declared
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| Used to regulate product's pH, but can be also used as an exfoliator when included in higher concentrations. There is a controversy about whether it can generate free radicals and induce skin cell damage when used in topical products | |
| 2.2% - 3.2% | |
| One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant | |
3%
Declared
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| An amino acid that is effective in reducing hyperpigmentation and evening out the skin tone. It can also help in skin barrier recovery. It is used to treat melasma, especially with injections and when taken orally | |
| 1.1% - 1.6% | |
| Helps oil and water mix together and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. It can be irritating | |
| 0.9% - 1.3% | |
| A derivative of urea, a compound that is naturally present in skin. Attracts water to the upper layer of the skin. Can enhance penetration of other ingredients | |
1%
Declared
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| Helps to reduce hyperpigmentation and neutralize free radicals. Can be irritating | |
| 0.4% - 0.9% | |
| Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture | |
| 0.1% - 0.3% | |
| Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated | |
| 0.16% - 0.32% | |
| A preservative | |
| 0.05% - 0.25% | |
| Used to create a thicker product consistency | |
| 0.05% - 0.15% | |
| Stabilizes the product formulation | |
Show more | |
Sources
- Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
- Gehring, W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Oxidative DNA damage induced by HEPES (2-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethanesulfonic acid) buffer in the presence of Au(III)
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Effect of tranexamic acid on melasma: a clinical trial with histological evaluation
- Tranexamic acid accelerates skin barrier recovery and upregulates occludin in damaged skin
- The amelioration effect of tranexamic acid in wrinkles induced by skin dryness
- Efficacy and possible mechanisms of topical tranexamic acid in melasma
- Surfactants and experimental irritant contact dermatitis
- Propylene Glycol
- Skin-sensitizing and irritant properties of propylene glycol
- Safety Assessment of Hydroxyethyl Urea As Used in Cosmetics
- TOPICAL TREATMENT OF MELASMA
- Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation: a review of the epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment options in skin of color.