inde wild Sunrise Glow Serum 15% Vitamin C Versus Naked & Thriving Illuminate BC+ Brightening Face Serum
This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This brightening serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Withania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Sorbitol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Scenedesmus Rubescens Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
CI 77480
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
Buffering
Glutathione
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Bisabolol, Ferulic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Sorbitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Scenedesmus Rubescens Extract, Ascorbic Acid, CI 77480, Citric Acid, Glutathione
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Morus Nigra Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantArctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Bakuchiol, Morus Nigra Leaf Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Ferulic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Sclerotium Gum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidFerulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.
A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.
A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:
As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.
Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.
Learn more about Ferulic AcidGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSclerotium Gum is a natural sugar-based fiber made by fermenting a fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. It's often used as the plant-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners like carbomer.
In skincare, it works as a thickener, gel former, and stabilizer that keeps heavy ingredients suspended so a product does not separate.
It is non-ionic and forms a triple helix in solution. This is just a fancy way of saying it builds a smooth, cushiony, and non-sticky gel that feels silkier than many other gums.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it is very sturdy and holds up across a wide pH range (~2-11). It's also good at resisting heat and hydrolysis.
Since it holds water at the skin surface, it can provide some light hydration as well.
Typical use levels are around 0.25-2%; formulators usually use 0.2-0.5% to thicken lotions and up to 2% for a firmer gel base.
This ingredient has been found safe in cosmetics with no meaningful evidence of skin sensitization.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
