Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum versus La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum .
Last updated on March 21, 2024. Published on September 29, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum 24 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum 24 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:
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:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum 24 ingredients
Water • Ascorbic Acid 23% • Propanediol • Dimethicone • Tromethamine • Panthenol • Ethyl Ether • Squalane • Caffeine • Sodium Chloride • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Sulfite • Disodium EDTA • Glutathione • Adenosine • Acetyl Glucosamine • Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract • Allantoin • Dextrin • Tocotrienols • Tocopherol • Elaeis Guineensis Oil • Butylene Glycol • Arginine • Niacinamide • Pentylene Glycol • Alcohol Denat. • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract • Methyl Trimethicone • Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil • Camellia Japonica Seed Oil • Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract • Beta-Carotene
Water • Ascorbic Acid • Cyclohexasiloxane • Glycerin • Alcohol Denat. • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Polysilicone-11 • Dimethicone • Propylene Glycol • Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate • Tocopherol • Sodium Hyaluronate • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Adenosine • Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester • Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate • Salicylic Acid • Polyacrylamide • Toluene Sulfonic Acid • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Caprylyl Glycol • BHT • Laureth-7 • Parfum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterCOSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.
Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.
Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!
Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.
Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.
The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.
Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidCOSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateCOSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineCOSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
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.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolCOSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.
Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.
One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.
Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum 24 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum 24 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients
laila.21
I didn't like the consistency of this serum at all.
It felt like I was putting oil to my face, but since I always use the whole product to see...
I didn't like the consistency of this serum at all.
It felt like I was putting oil to my face, but since I always use the whole product to see results this did nothing to me other than feeling uncomfortable.
ChienYun_CY
Cured my acne scars
I had mix feelings when I first bought this as I read that the smell can be off-putting. But I am glad I bought it. My acne...
Cured my acne scars
I had mix feelings when I first bought this as I read that the smell can be off-putting. But I am glad I bought it. My acne scars faded a lot more after 3 days of using it and saw great results in one week. It also didn't break me out despite containing alcohols and oils. It does sting a little on the first application but doesn't irritate my skin. The smell can be quite strong when you first spread it on, but it slowly goes away after awhile.
La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum 24 ingredients
Lapaki
This was my first vitamin C serum
I started using this because I was curious about Vitamin C and wanted to experience its benefits. This is a...
This was my first vitamin C serum
I started using this because I was curious about Vitamin C and wanted to experience its benefits. This is a really good and gentle Vitamin C serum for sensitive skin. Mine got used to it and now tolerates stronger products.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 37 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum.
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