Boots Vitamin C Brightening Booster Serum Versus innisfree Vitamin C Green Tea Enzyme Brightening Serum
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantLimonene
Perfuming
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Limonene, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Peel Extract
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrolyzed Carrot Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCyclodextrin
AbsorbentMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Protease
Exfoliating
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glutathione
Achillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Betaine, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Gluconolactone, Pyrus Malus Peel Extract, Panthenol, Carnosine, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Carrot Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metaphosphate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyclodextrin, Madecassoside, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Protease, Tranexamic Acid, Glutathione, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Carotene, Ferulic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is a version of ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C.
This ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
It helps with dark spot fading by interfering with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. Like other forms of vitamin C, this ingredient encourages the skin to create more collagen.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
One study found Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate to degrade in sunlight, but is stabilized when combined with acetyl zingerone.
Learn more about Ascorbyl TetraisopalmitateButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
