Clarifying Serum

Ingredients

MANDELIC ACID

One of the main ingredients in MDSUN Clarifying Serum, mandelic acid, is an alpha hydroxy acid derived from almonds. When applied to the skin in concentrations as high as in this serum, mandelic acid has been shown to be a potent antioxidant in the skin (Tetrahedron).

A review in Clinics in Dermatology further found that mandelic acid takes down skin roughness and fine lines.

NICOTINIC ACID

Studies have not been conducted comparing the efficacy of niacinamide to salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, two commonly prescribed acne treatments.

However, in comparison to 1% clindamycin gel, Shalita et. al. has shown that
niacinamide yields similar results. In addition, the use of niacinamide may be preferable over clindamycin and other antibacterial agents in the long term because the bacteria tend to re-emerge after a period of antibacterial agent use (Shalita et. al.).

This product uses a different form of vitamin B3. Instead of using niacinamide, the basic form of vitamin B3, this formula uses nicotinic acid, the acidic form of vitamin B3, which is also known niacin.

CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID

According to DermNetNZ, capryloyl salicylic acid works by softening keratin, a protein that forms part of the skin structure. This helps to loosen dry scaly skin, increasing cell turnover and effectively renewing the skin. It is often used in acne treatments to cleanse and to prevent clogging of the pores.

When capryloyl salicylic acid is used in combination with other treatments, it is often to allow the other formulation’s ingredients to penetrate the skin more effectively.

Panthenol

Panthenol is an alcohol made out of pathenolic acid or vitamin B5. It’s used for everything from sleep deprivation to dandruff and is found in numerous shampoos and skincare products. While there isn’t a lot of evidence for the use of panthenol in homeopathic evidence, there’s more for what it does in skincare products.

It coats skin and hair as a humectant moisturizer — which means that it draws in
moisture from the environment. But because these moisturizers can also pull moisture from the lower levels of the skin, it’s beneficial to use them in combination with an occlusive moisturizer.

Several studies done on mice show that panthenolic acid increases the production of cell fibroblasts. It’s effective in aiding wound healing and for this reason, has been shown to work well in anti-aging products. In a study on 30-60 years old women, a combination of panthenol and niacinamide improved signs of aging, such as hyperpigmentation and redness.

POTASSIUM AZELOYL DIGLYCINATE, MANDELIC ACID, ACETYL GLUCOSAMINE, NIACINAMIDE, HYDROXYETHYLPIPERAZINE ETHANE SULFONIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, ALLANTOIN, PANTHENOL, CAMELLIA SINENSIS (GREEN TEA) LEAF EXTRACT, GLYCYRRHIZA INFLATA (BATALIN) ROOT EXTRACT, DIMETHYL ISOSORBIDE, OCTADECENEDIOIC ACID, CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID, LEUCONOSTOC/RADISH ROOT FERMENT FILTRATE, GLYCERIN, CHRYSANTHEMUM PARTHENIUM (FEVERFEW) EXTRACT, 4-ETHOXYBENZALDEHYDE, DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE, ERGOTHIONEINE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, ETHYLBISIMINOMETHYLGUAIACOL MANGANESE CHLORIDE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, CYCLOMETHICONE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, DISODIUM EDTA, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, PEG/ PPG-18/ 18 DIMETHICONE, POLYSORBATE 20, METHYLPROPANEDIOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, SODIUM PCA, AVENA SATIVA (OAT) KERNEL EXTRACT, POTASSIUM SORBATE, WATER/AQUA/EAU

*Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer’s discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date information, refer to the product packaging.