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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US .

Last updated on November 03, 2023. Published on March 31, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 6 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, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

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

Serum American Brand United States
Facial Treatment American Brand United States

Serum

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

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum

Starts at $62.41
Shop

Buy C15 Super Booster

Starts at $55.00

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

AHA (3)
Vitamin C (3)
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (4)
Skin Texture (4)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (5)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (6)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Irritating
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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

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US contains this as ingredient number 5.

3
What it does: Antioxidant, Buffering, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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 Acid

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
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.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US contains this as ingredient number 3.

5
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 32.

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US contains this as ingredient number 19.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 36.

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US contains this as ingredient number 20.

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

42% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
32% are disliked or very disliked
16% have no rating yet
48% are loved or liked
24% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
5% 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

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum 38 ingredients

C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster 21 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 3 ratings

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Our Dupe Finder has found 25 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 23 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster US.

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