Environ Skin Care Skin Essentia AVST Moisturiser 1 Versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum
Updated on June 03, 2025
Overview
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Environ Skin Care Skin Essentia AVST Moisturiser 1 37 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Environ Skin Care Skin Essentia AVST Moisturiser 1 37 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSorbitol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEpigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclopia Genistoides Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Gelatin
Sucrose
Humectant
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Zea Mays Starch
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Water, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethoxydiglycol, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Cyclopia Genistoides Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Beta-Carotene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Gelatin, Sucrose, Zea Mays Oil, Zea Mays Starch, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, 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 Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AcidCetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl 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 AcetateWater. 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. 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 GumIngredient Ratings
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Environ Skin Care Skin Essentia AVST Moisturiser 1 37 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
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