Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum .
Last updated on September 19, 2023. Published on November 13, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 9 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 anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any 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.
Ingredient Info
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum 17 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
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 🎉
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 🎉
Vegan
This product is 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:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
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
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum 17 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
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:
Benefits
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 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:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients 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 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 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 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.
Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum 17 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Water • Ethoxydiglycol • Ascorbic Acid • Glycerin • Propylene Glycol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Punica Granatum Extract • Butylene Glycol • Coceth-7 • Ppg-1-Peg-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Disodium EDTA • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol • Parfum
Water • Ascorbic Acid • Glycerin • Dimethicone • Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate • Alcohol Denat. • Sodium Hydroxide • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Panthenol • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Carbomer • Cetearyl Alcohol • Behentrimonium Methosulfate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Cholesterol • Phenoxyethanol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Disodium EDTA • Isopropyl Myristate • Caprylyl Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Phytosphingosine • Ethylhexylglycerin
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 Watere.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
CeraVe Skin Renewing 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 Acide.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 Glycerine.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetatee.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
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 Hyaluronatee.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAe.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl Glycole.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.
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.
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.
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.
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum 17 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum 17 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum 17 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
dianarvizu
Did not work for me
I've been trying to find a good vitaminc c cream/serum to include in my routine and this was sadly not it.
I used for a few...
Did not work for me
I've been trying to find a good vitaminc c cream/serum to include in my routine and this was sadly not it.
I used for a few days and noticed a ton of new breakouts. This was the only new product I was using, so I stopped it and the breakouts stopped.
Product-wise, it feels nice on the skin, doesn't have a strong scent, and it absorbes really nice.
ClaireLundberg
I like but don't love this serum. It feels nice on the skin, but I haven't noticed any big changes in the overall appearance of my skin with it....
I like but don't love this serum. It feels nice on the skin, but I haven't noticed any big changes in the overall appearance of my skin with it. I'd give it four stars but they recently changed the packaging from an easy to use metal tube to a plastic tube with a funky lid that's hard to unscrew without taking the whole thing off and exposing the product to air unnecessarily. On the hunt for a new Vitamin C serum.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to e.l.f. cosmetics Vitamin C Serum.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum.
See 50 alternatives