Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum .
Last updated on September 19, 2023. Published on December 31, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any fragrances or parabens
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum 12 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
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 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
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 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum 12 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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:
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:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient 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:
Benefits
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 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 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:
Concerns
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 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:
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.
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum 12 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Water • 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 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 WaterMario Badescu Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 AcidMario Badescu Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateMario Badescu Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolMario Badescu Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.
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.
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum 12 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum 12 ingredients
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum 12 ingredients
SiriMiri
This says it's fungal acne safe but on the website the ingredients says it has castor oil extract or something in here, personally I avoid anything...
This says it's fungal acne safe but on the website the ingredients says it has castor oil extract or something in here, personally I avoid anything with castor oil so beware.
DamDamfino
Its been a few years, but from what I remember, I got this as a "only affordable option available at the store" when I ran out of Vit C serum and...
Its been a few years, but from what I remember, I got this as a "only affordable option available at the store" when I ran out of Vit C serum and needed more - and I did not like this.
Felt like a waste of money. It didn't really do anything, I didn't see my usual results.
It also, oddly, did not oxidize...for like more than a year, as long as it took me to finish the bottle. That's weird to me. I know most Vit C serums are going to oxidize eventually, so the fact that this one didn't seemed fishy to me.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum 26 ingredients
dianarvizu
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...
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.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum.
See 50 alternatives