Clinique Fresh Pressed Clinical™ Daily + Overnight Boosters with Pure Vitamin C 10% + A (Retinol) Versus hims Vitamin C Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
This brightening serum is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientMorus Nigra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMolasses Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Alcaligenes Polysaccharides
EmollientCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose
Humectant
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Tromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
PEG-8
HumectantPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polysilicone-11
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingCholesterol
Emollient
Salvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningHypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCalcium Chloride
AstringentAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Morus Nigra Root Extract, Molasses Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Algae Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides, Caffeine, Sucrose, Whey Protein, Betaine, Salicylic Acid, Glycine Soja Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, PEG-8, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Glycine Soja Oil, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Methyl Trimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Methyl Gluceth-20, Retinol, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Cholesterol, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Plankton Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Calcium Chloride, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Lecithin, BHT, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Oleth-20
CleansingPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cellulose
Absorbent
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
CI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantCitral
Perfuming
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
Learn more about GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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 Water
