Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Biossance Squalane + Retinol Night Serum 23 ingredients
Herbivore Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum 33 ingredients
At a glance
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Biossance Squalane + Retinol Night Serum 23 ingredients
Herbivore Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum 33 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
8 Benefits 3 Concerns
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
7 Benefits 3 Concerns
Retinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract comes from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
3 Concerns
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Dextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Retinol, Retinal, Allantoin, Crocus Sativus Stigma Extract, Pseudozyma Epicola/Avocado Oil Ferment Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Hydroxyapatite, Dextrin, Carbomer, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
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.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits Not safe for Fungal Acne
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is a version of ascorbic acid, or pure Vitamin C.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
C9-12 Alkane is synethically created using alkanes, or paraffins. It is added to products as a solvent. This means its main purpose is to help dissolve ingredients and create even texture.
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
Curcuma Longa Root Extract is from the spice, turmeric. Besides being a healthy and delicious spice, turmeric also has plenty of skincare benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties.
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract is from the Kakadu plum. The Kakadu plum is native to northern Australia. The Kakadu plum holds the record for having the highest amount of natural vitamin C.
4 Benefits May cause irritation
Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. If dissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical.
Sodium Anisate comes from fennel. It is used as a preservative and to add flavoring.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is created from fatty coconut alcohol, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract comes from the Holy Basil plant. Holy Basil is native to India.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Antioxidant Helps brighten skin
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
Ananas Sativus Fruit Juice comes from the pineapple fruit. Pineapples are native to South America.
Corallina Officinalis Extract is from the red seaweed, Corallina Officinalis. This seaweed is found all over the world but is most common in the rocky shores of Great Britain and Ireland.
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid. This bacteria is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Water, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Sodium Phytate, Averrhoa Carambola Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Juice, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinCetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent oils and waters from separating. It can also
Manufacturers use the name Olivem 1000. This ingredient has been found to preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria. This ingredient is grouped with Sorbitan Olivate under the name Olivem 1000.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
Sorbitan Olivate is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
Manufacturers sell sorbitan olivate under the name OliveM 1000. OliveM 1000 a multifunctional ingredient. It is self-emulsifying. According to a manufacturer, OliveM 1000 does not disrupt natural skin biome.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateIngredient Ratings
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When to use
Biossance Squalane + Retinol Night Serum 23 ingredients
Herbivore Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum 33 ingredients
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