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Product Comparison

Published on April 09, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and niacinamide

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 oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum Japanese Brand Japan
Serum French Brand France

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

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Buy Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum

Starts at $38.19
Shop

Buy 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid (3)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin C
Vitamin E (2)
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (5)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (4)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

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 Niacinamide

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

4
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Gum

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.

Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.

Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.

In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.

Learn more about Adenosine

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.

7
What it does: Absorbent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.

In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.

As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.

Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.

Learn more about Maltodextrin

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.

8
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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 Hyaluronate

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 29.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.

9
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Citrate

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 31.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

10
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Acid

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

56% are loved or liked
21% have mixed ratings
12% are disliked or very disliked
12% have no rating yet
37% are loved or liked
5% have mixed ratings
39% are disliked or very disliked
18% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum 34 ingredients

Hada Labo H.A. Supreme Vita Brightening Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum 38 ingredients

2.3 /5
from 3 ratings
bibalapau's avatar

bibalapau

9 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Hate it
My skin isn't even that sensitive, and my forehead was completely ruined. My pores got enormous, then i got an incredible amount of small...

Hate it
My skin isn't even that sensitive, and my forehead was completely ruined. My pores got enormous, then i got an incredible amount of small red pimples or something. I know my skin is kind of sensitive, but this serum was too much. Might work for some people, i know, but for me this was a no-no.

Mirq's avatar

Mirq

12 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Definitely not for sensitive skin
I have combo sensitive skin and it absolutely destroyed my skin barrier. My face was red, tight and burning after...

Definitely not for sensitive skin
I have combo sensitive skin and it absolutely destroyed my skin barrier. My face was red, tight and burning after second use. It smells like alcohol and have very strong scent. I will never ever use it not even on my neck or arms.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Garnier 3.5% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Brightening & Anti Dark Spot Serum.

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