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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Dermelect Smooth Upper Lip Professional versus COSRX Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Lip Plumper .

Published on September 08, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe lip moisturizers. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin C

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens or parabens

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

Lip Moisturizer American Brand United States
Lip Moisturizer South Korean Brand South Korea

Lip Moisturizer

Lip moisturizers help add moisture to the lips. They may come in the form of balms, gloss, scrubs, or oils.

Lip Moisturizer

Lip moisturizers help add moisture to the lips. They may come in the form of balms, gloss, scrubs, or oils.

Price

Shop

Buy Smooth Upper Lip Professional

Starts at $24.50
Shop

Buy Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Lip Plumper

Starts at $12.35

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
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

Retinoid
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (2)

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger (3)
Irritating (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin C

Benefits

Hydrating
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
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Ingredients Compared

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

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: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Dermelect Smooth Upper Lip Professional contains this as ingredient number 1.

COSRX Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Lip Plumper contains this as ingredient number 13.

2
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.

In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.

Learn more about Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Dermelect Smooth Upper Lip Professional contains this as ingredient number 6.

COSRX Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Lip Plumper contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

Dermelect Smooth Upper Lip Professional contains this as ingredient number 10.

COSRX Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Lip Plumper contains this as ingredient number 15.

4
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Dermelect Smooth Upper Lip Professional contains this as ingredient number 30.

COSRX Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Lip Plumper contains this as ingredient number 12.

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

43% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
40% are disliked or very disliked
7% have no rating yet
41% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
21% 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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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Dermelect Smooth Upper Lip Professional.

See 1 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to COSRX Refresh AHA BHA Vitamin C Lip Plumper.

See 3 alternatives
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