Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution versus Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum .
Last updated on September 18, 2023. Published on June 07, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Price
Ingredient Info
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum 34 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum 34 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.
Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum 34 ingredients
Water • Propylene Glycol • Glycerin • Alcohol Denat. • Peg/Ppg/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin • Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol • 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid • Ppg-6-Decyltetradeceth-30 • Phenoxyethanol • Salicylic Acid • Xanthan Gum • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Potassium Hydroxide • Citric Acid • Sodium Citrate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Lavandula Angustifolia Oil • Disodium EDTA • Adenosine • Linalool • Butylene Glycol • Tocopherol • Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract • Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Water • 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid • Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate • Propanediol • Glycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Sodium Citrate • Squalane • Triethyl Citrate • Gluconolactone • Citric Acid • Polyhydroxystearic Acid • Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate • Xanthan Gum • Sodium Hyaluronate • Caffeine • Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate • Sodium Benzoate • Lauroyl Lysine • Passiflora Edulis Peel Extract • Sclerotium Gum • Lecithin • Ilex Guayusa Leaf Extract • Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract • Pullulan • Mannitol • Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract • Zingiber Officinale Root Oil • Calcium Gluconate • Silica • Potassium Sorbate • Phenoxyethanol • Ergothioneine
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 1.
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Glycerin 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 GlycerinKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 3.
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 7.
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 9.
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.
Xanthan 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 GumKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 11.
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 14.
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Sodium Citrate helps maintain the pH of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Sodium Citrate is a chelating agent. It neutralizes metal ions from water and prevents them from binding to other ingredients. This ensures the other ingredients will not be altered.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateKiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution contains this as ingredient number 15.
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum 34 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum 34 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution 24 ingredients
MSP
Works as said
I have dark skin and lots of PIH. It lightens them. You can see quicker results with new PIH spots. Holygrail in my routine
Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum 34 ingredients
sarahabma
Most effective vitamin C
This is the product I let myself splurge on because I haven't found anything that compares so far. This is so fast-acting...
Most effective vitamin C
This is the product I let myself splurge on because I haven't found anything that compares so far. This is so fast-acting for lightening my dark spots/acne scars. I use one pump on the whole face, once a day in the AM so the bottle tends to last me about 3 months. Highly, highly recommend for dark spots!
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 23 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution.
See 23 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 43 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum.
See 43 alternatives
