Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum versus ZO Skin Health Brightalive® .
Published on February 23, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 13 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain niacinamide, Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum 32 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® 45 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
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 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
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 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum 32 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® 45 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum 32 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® 45 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Dimethicone • Niacinamide • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Alcohol Denat. • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid • C13-14 Isoparaffin • Peg-100 Stearate • Stearic Acid • Potassium Hydroxide • Glyceryl Stearate • Triethanolamine • Sodium Citrate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Palmitic Acid • Adenosine • Disodium EDTA • Laureth-7 • Xanthan Gum • Oxothiazolidinecarboxylic Acid • Castanea Sativa Bud Extract • Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate • Polyacrylamide • Cetyl Alcohol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Phenoxyethanol • CI 77163 • Limonene • Parfum
Water • Glycerin • Dimethicone • Niacinamide • Caprylyl Methicone • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer • Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate • Cetyl Alcohol • Peg-12 Dimethicone/Ppg-20 Crosspolymer • Tranexamic Acid • Acetyl Glucosamine • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Diglucosyl Gallic Acid • Beta-Glucan • Papain • Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer • Palmitoyl Sh-Octapeptide-24 Amide • Palmitoyl Sh-Tripeptide-5 Norisoleucyl Sh-Nonapeptide-1 • Elaeis Guineensis Oil • Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil • Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil • Bidens Pilosa Extract • Tocopherol • Sodium Bisulfite • Tocopheryl Acetate • Ascorbic Acid • Retinyl Palmitate • Xanthan Gum • Polyisobutene • Polyethylmethacrylate • Polyvinyl Alcohol • Polysorbate 20 • Disodium EDTA • 1,2-Hexanediol • Carbomer • Algin • Sodium Hydroxide • Parfum • Phenoxyethanol • Caprylyl Glycol • Chlorphenesin • Pentylene Glycol
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 WaterL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® 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 GlycerinL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 2.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 3.
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.
Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.
The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.
Learn more about NiacinamideL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 4.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 6.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Peg-100 Stearate helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. It helps prevent oil and water from separating in a product. By binding oil and water, it helps remove dirt and oil to be rinsed away.
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 8.
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 7.
Disodium 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 EDTAL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 36.
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 GumL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 31.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Its main roles are:
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 11.
Tocopheryl 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 AcetateL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 28.
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.
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 29.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 42.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumL'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 32.
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® contains this as ingredient number 41.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum 32 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® 45 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum 32 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Brightalive® 45 ingredients
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