Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum versus Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops .
Published on May 25, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 16 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain exfoliants 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 common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols 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.
Price
Ingredient Info
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum 53 ingredients
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops 36 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
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 🎉
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 😥
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 🎉
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 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum 53 ingredients
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops 36 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients 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 2 ingredients 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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum 53 ingredients
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops 36 ingredients
Water • Glycolic Acid • Glycerin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Dimethicone • Sodium Hydroxide • Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer • Diisopropyl Sebacate • C13-16 Isoparaffin • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Ascorbic Acid • Urea • Yeast Amino Acids • Trehalose • Inositol • Taurine • Betaine • Glutathione • Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate • Cetearyl Isononanoate • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Oleyl Alcohol • Silica • Hexylresorcinol • Polysilicone-11 • Triheptanoin • Polyisobutene • Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture • Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract • Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower • Butylene Glycol • Mica • Hexylene Glycol • Sodium Surfactin • Xymenynic Acid • Tocopheryl Acetate • Peg-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether • Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract • Sorbitol • Tin Oxide • Xanthan Gum • T-Butyl Alcohol • Chlorella Vulgaris Extract • Decyl Glucoside • CI 77480 • Citric Acid • Caprylyl Glycol • Phenoxyethanol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Sodium Benzoate • Potassium Sorbate • CI 77891
Water • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Glycerin • Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract • Butylene Glycol • Cetearyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate • Panthenol • Phenoxyethanol • Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate • Stearic Acid • Dimethicone • Carbomer • Ethylhexylglycerin • Sodium Hyaluronate • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Mica • Hexylene Glycol • Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract • Sodium Hydroxide • Alcohol • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Rosa Canina Fruit Extract • Synthetic Fluorphlogopite • Pantolactone • Caprylyl Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Ascorbyl Palmitate • Citric Acid • Ascorbic Acid • Alumina • Tin Oxide • CI 77891 • CI 77491
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 WaterMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops 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 GlycerinMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 4.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 24.
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.
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 13.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 21.
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 AcidMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 32.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 32.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 6.
Mica refers to a group of silicate minerals. Mica crystals are easily split to give products a shimmer. These crystals are able to reflect light to temporarily give your skin a glowy look.
Mica is found to be safe. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Mica can be naturally found throughout the world. However, some sources of mica may be controversial. In 2016, mica mined in the Jharkhand state in India was found to be using child labor. However, companies are able to source ethical mica affiliated with international organizations that monitor the mica supply chain.
Learn more about MicaMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 18.
Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, Hexylene Glycol helps gather dirt and oil on your skin to be washed away.
As an emulsifier, Hexylene Glycol helps keep water and oil together. This prevents them from separating in a product. Hexylene Glycol also thins out the texture of a product by lessening viscosity.
Hexylene Glycol has a small molecular weight.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 34.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 19.
Tin Oxide is an inorganic oxide used to add opacity and volume to a product. In nature, it is already found in mineral form. The main ore of tin is an opaque and shiny mineral called casseterite.
Tin Oxide helps remove translucency in a product, or make it more opaque. Besides adding opacity, tin oxide is used for bulking to add volume.
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 41.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 34.
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 GumMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 42.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 29.
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 AcidMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 47.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 31.
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 GlycolMurad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 48.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops 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.
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 49.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 10.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 50.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 15.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 53.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops contains this as ingredient number 35.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum 53 ingredients
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops 36 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum 53 ingredients
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops 36 ingredients
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