Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum Versus Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Contour Serum
This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Acetate and Caffeine to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycereth-7 Triacetate
EmollientLactic Acid
Buffering
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Glycine
Buffering
Carnitine Hcl
HumectantUbiquinone
Antioxidant
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Isoquercetin
Antioxidant
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Phytic Acid
Chelating
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingSodium Citrate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Lactic Acid, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Superoxide Dismutase, Glycine, Carnitine Hcl, Ubiquinone, Hexylresorcinol, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Isoquercetin, Mandelic Acid, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 80, Denatonium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
PEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingBatyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethylacrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer
Trisodium EDTA
ChelatingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-3 Dipivalate
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sapindus Mukorossi Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Uncaria Gambir Extract
AstringentCitronellol
Perfuming
Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTrimethylolpropane Triethylhexanoate
EmollientGeraniol
Perfuming
Cellulose
Absorbent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningMethicone
Emollient
Tetradecene
EmollientEucheuma Serra/Grateloupia Sparsa/Saccharina Angustata/Ulva Linza/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
EmollientCurcuma Longa Rhizome Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharina Angustata/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
EmollientPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Ascorbyl Dipalmitate
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Behenyl Alcohol, Silica, PEG-400, Batyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Dimethylacrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Trisodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Acetate, Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, BHT, Polyquaternium-51, Parfum, Potassium Hydroxide, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PPG-3 Dipivalate, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, CI 77492, Tocopherol, Sapindus Mukorossi Peel Extract, Linalool, Limonene, Sodium Metabisulfite, Triisostearin, Uncaria Gambir Extract, Citronellol, Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract, Trimethylolpropane Triethylhexanoate, Geraniol, Cellulose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxyproline, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Methicone, Tetradecene, Eucheuma Serra/Grateloupia Sparsa/Saccharina Angustata/Ulva Linza/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Curcuma Longa Rhizome Extract, Saccharina Angustata/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 PhenoxyethanolSD Alcohol 40-B is created by denaturing ethanol with tert-Butyl alcohol and denatonium benzoate. It is a solvent and astringent.
The 'SD' stands for 'specially denatured'. Denatured alcohol means the structure has been altered.
The 40-B is given by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. This is in accordance to the method of how the alcohol was denatured.
This ingredient is a solvent alcohol.
Learn more about Sd Alcohol 40-BWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
