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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum versus Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment .

Last updated on August 02, 2023. Published on September 10, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, niacinamide, retinoid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

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

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 Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum

Shop

Buy Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment

Starts at $19.99

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 (5)
BHA
Retinoid
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (4)
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (7)
Reduces Large Pores (10)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (9)
Scar Healing (11)
Acne Fighting (5)
Brightening (11)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Irritating (7)
Rosacea (7)
Eczema (4)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Retinoid (2)
Vitamin C (2)
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (4)
Skin Texture (5)
Reduces Large Pores (5)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (8)
Scar Healing (8)
Acne Fighting (4)
Brightening (6)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (4)
Rosacea
Eczema
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Ingredients Compared

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

Water • Hexylresorcinol • 4-Butylresorcinol • Niacinamide • Glycerin • Arbutin • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract • Lactic Acid • Glycolic Acid • Salicylic Acid • Retinol • Sd Alcohol 40-B • Butylene Glycol • Kojic Acid • Ascorbic Acid • Citric Acid • Arginine • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Phloretin • Phenoxyethanol • Malic Acid • Azelaic Acid • Tartaric Acid • Tocopheryl Acetate • Pentylene Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Disodium EDTA • Sodium Sulfite • Sodium Metabisulfite • Sodium Hydroxide • Parfum

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

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
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

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 19.

4
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.

Why is retinol famous?

It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.

Retinol is proven to:

This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.

Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).

Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.

We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.

Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.

Read about Tretinoin

Learn more about Retinol

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 11.

5
What it does: Antioxidant
Community Rating: Loved

Kojic acid comes from fungi and can also be from fermented foods. It helps even out skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation.

This ingredient works by blocking tyrosine, an enzyme that starts the process of skin darkening.

Kojic Acid is antifungal and often used to treat fungal infections. Additionally, it can help fight bacteria with its antimicrobrial properties. A side effect may be treating acne caused by bacteria.

A similar ingredient is arbutin.

Learn more about Kojic Acid

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 5.

6
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

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 21.

7
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 15.

8
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.

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 7.

9
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Loved

Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring acid that is derived from grains. However, the lab-created form is typically used within cosmetic products as it has better shelf-stability.

It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of acne, rosacea, and other skin conditions. Azelaic acid helps reduce the growth of bacteria that cause acne and helps to reduce inflammation.

It also helps to improve the appearance of skin by reducing the production of sebum and unclogging pores.

Azelaic Acid also has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

One of the main benefits of azelaic acid is that it is gentle and well-tolerated by most people. It is also non-comedogenic, meaning that it will not clog pores.

Learn more about Azelaic Acid

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 23.

10
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sodium Sulfite is a preservative. Preservatives help prevent mold and bacteria from growing in cosmetics.

This ingredient has been shown to break the bonds in hair, acting as a natural straightener.

It is commonly used in food. It should be noted sodium sulfite degrades both vitamins B1 and E.

Fun fact: Sulfites are naturally occuring in wine.

Learn more about Sodium Sulfite

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 30.

11
What it does: Antioxidant, Preservative
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Metabisulfite is an antioxidant and is a preservative.

Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 29.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 13.

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

55% are loved or liked
23% have mixed ratings
19% are disliked or very disliked
3% have no rating yet
44% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
25% are disliked or very disliked
19% have no rating yet

Usage

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

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 42 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Ebanel Labs Dr Brightening Ultra-Potent Facial Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment.

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