Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum Versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum
Updated on February 03, 2025
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 8 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, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any oils or parabens
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols
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
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
Emollient3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBHT
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAcetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningOxothiazolidinecarboxylic Acid
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, BHT, Linalool, Geraniol, Parfum, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Oxothiazolidinecarboxylic Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol
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.
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 WaterGlycerin 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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is a polymer made from ammonium salts. It helps add stability and texture to a product. This ingredient is stable over a wide pH range.
Due to its ability to absorb water, it can help thicken the texture of a product. As an emulsion stabilizer, this ingredient is stabilizes other ingredients to create a consistent texture.
According to a manufacturer, it helps create a "smooth, light and fresh" texture.
Learn more about Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl TaurateTocopheryl 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 AcetateDisodium 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 EDTAXanthan 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
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
broke out my oily acne-prone face. the cream version is better when getting rid of dark spots; i suggest never to use vit c with fresh acne.
[Oily skin] This product breaks me out so bad even though I do not have acne-prone skin. It only takes around a few days for me to stop using it.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
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.
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 Show more
