Versus

Freshly Cosmetics Vitamin C Concentrate Serum Versus COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum

Serum
Serum
Portuguese Brand Portugal
Korean Brand South Korea

Updated on March 11, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and 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, sensitive skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Vitamin C Concentrate Serum

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Skin Conditioning

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation Icon

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Emollient
0-2 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Emollient
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sucrose Distearate

Emollient
0 / 2 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil

Skin Conditioning
3 / 2 Oil IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Oryza Sativa Starch

Absorbent

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Skin Conditioning
3 / 0 Oil IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Perfuming
Fragrance IconOil IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Astaxanthin

Skin Conditioning

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Masking
0-2 / 0 Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Bidens Pilosa Extract

Humectant

Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Emollient
0 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Prunus Persica Juice

Moisturising

Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract

Cleansing
Fragrance Icon

Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Citrus Grandis Peel Extract

Astringent
Fragrance Icon

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract

Masking

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Bud Extract

Skin Conditioning

Prunus Persica Fruit Extract

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Phosphatidylcholine

Emulsifying

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Mannitol

Humectant

Sucrose Stearate

Emollient
0 / 0

Glycine Soja Oil

Emollient
3 / 0 Oil IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cetyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 2 Fatty Alcohol Icon

Squalene

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

P-Anisic Acid

Masking

Sodium Gluconate

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Levulinate

Skin Conditioning

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Levulinic Acid

Perfuming
Fragrance Icon

Arginine

Masking
Good for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Gluconolactone

Skin Conditioning
PHA IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Beta-Sitosterol

Emulsion Stabilising

Sodium Chloride

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Calcium Gluconate

Humectant

Limonene

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Linalool

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon
The Vitamin C 23 Serum

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol

Elaeis Guineensis Oil comes from the African Palm tree. This tree is native to Western and Southwestern Africa.

This oil is rich in antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.

The Vitamin E and fatty acid content give palm oil a skin-hydrating property. Emollients help trap moisture in by creating a film on the skin.

Palm oil is created by either squeezing the fruit or crushing the kernel at the center of the fruit. In the 1800s, archaeologists discovered a 6000 year old Egyptian tomb containing palm oil.

Palm oil is controversial due to its social and environmental impacts. Several organizations are working to make palm oil harvest more sustainable, such as the RSPO.

Learn more about Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

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 Hyaluronate
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Carthamus tinctorius seed oil comes from safflower, one of humanity's oldest crops.

Safflower seed oil contains a high percentage of linoleic acid and oleic acid. It also contains Vitamin E. These three components are effective moisturizers.

Vitamin E helps nourish your skin's lipid barrier. It is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or unstable molecules that may damage your skin cells.

Due to its high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.

Thoughout history, safflower has been used for dying fabrics and in food as a saffron substitute.

Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Emollient, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.

Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.

These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.

Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.

Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.

Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.

As a cosmetic ingredient, Arginine has antioxidant properties and can also help repair damaged skin. This ingredient is derived either synthetically or from animals.

Arginine isn't fungal acne safe when used in the presence of other lipids (fats, fatty acids, oils, esters, etc). Oils and fats occur naturally within the skin, so take caution when using Arginine if you're prone to fungal acne.

Learn more about Arginine
Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol
Masking

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride

When to use

10 Routines
70% use in am
30% use in pm
100% use every day
598 Routines
76% use in am
24% use in pm
92% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Freshly Cosmetics Vitamin C Concentrate Serum 56 ingredients

Vitamin C Concentrate Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum 34 ingredients

3.7 /5
from 12 ratings
Works Well (5) Absorbs Well (3) Oily (3)
laila.21's avatar

Laila

1 year ago
Review

I didn't like the consistency of this serum at all.
It felt like I was putting oil to my face, but since I always use the whole product to see results this did nothing to me other than feeling uncomfortable.

#oily
#strong scent
#works well
ChienYun_CY's avatar

Chien Yun Ang

2 years ago
Review

Cured my acne scars
I had mix feelings when I first bought this as I read that the smell can be off-putting. But I am glad I bought it. My acne scars faded a lot more after 3 days of using it and saw great results in one week. It also didn't break me out despite containing alcohols and oils. It does sting a little on the first application but doesn't irritate my skin. The smell can be quite strong Show more