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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum versus The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on January 10, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 1 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin C

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum South Korean Brand South Korea
Serum Canadian Brand Canada

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy The Vitamin C 23 Serum

Starts at $14.90
Shop

Buy Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F

Starts at $20.50

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
4
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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.

Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.

Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.

Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).

In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.

The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.

Is squalane vegan? This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Learn more about Squalane

COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F contains this as ingredient number 7.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

56% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
26% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet
29% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
43% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 7 reviews
laila.21's Avatar'
Jan 19, 2024

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.

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.

Oily
Strong Scent
Works Well
ChienYun_CY's Avatar'
Jul 1, 2023

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...

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.

AshN.'s Avatar'
Apr 4, 2024

(Started Dec 2023) I would say that this is a great high concentration serum that was gentle enough on my sensitive skin. By March 2024, I managed to get through two bottles and I can't say there have been any notable changes, which is...

(Started Dec 2023) I would say that this is a great high concentration serum that was gentle enough on my sensitive skin. By March 2024, I managed to get through two bottles and I can't say there have been any notable changes, which is disappointing considering how expensive this is. My main complaint is that I found the scent of this formulation to be very strong with initial application, but it dissipates over time and another complaint is it leaves my face feeling very sticky for a serum (As it is not the last part of my routine, my moisturizing step usually resolves this).

Absorbs Well
Sticky
Strong Scent
Expensive
Doesn't Work

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F 7 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 2 reviews
Valerija's Avatar'
Mar 27, 2024

It works very well! If you're looking for a Vitamin C derivative serum this is a good option if you like an oil formulation. It could give a bit of initial flushing though but that goes away quite quickly.

Rating it 4 stars instead of...

It works very well! If you're looking for a Vitamin C derivative serum this is a good option if you like an oil formulation. It could give a bit of initial flushing though but that goes away quite quickly.

Rating it 4 stars instead of 5 because for me it's quite hard to incorporate into my routine as it layers very badly under the sunscreen. Unfortunately, because of that, I won't repurchase anymore.

Light
Pilling
Oily
No Scent
Works Well

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Our Dupe Finder has found 6 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F.

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