What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
PEG-8
HumectantBetaine
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Brassica Alba Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin Conditioning
Papaver Somniferum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCI 77400
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG/PPG-300/55 Copolymer
CleansingPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Ascorbic Acid, Water, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., PEG-8, Betaine, Isopentyldiol, Tocopherol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Brassica Alba Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Yeast Extract, Papaver Somniferum Seed Extract, Serine, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, CI 77400, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-300/55 Copolymer, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Parfum
Reviews
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 AcidButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolTocopherol (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 TocopherolWater. 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
