SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic With 15% L-Ascorbic Acid Versus Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DermInfusions™ Fill + Repair Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ectoin to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantEctoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingBakuchiol
AntimicrobialInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrahydrocurcumin
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSphingolipids
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningColloidal Oatmeal
AbsorbentBisabolol
AntioxidantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSodium PCA
HumectantGlutathione
Squalane
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingAcetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialLactobionic Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Vp/Va Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Metasilicate
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingJasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingRaspberry Ketone
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Ectoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Oligopeptide-2, Saccharide Isomerate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Bakuchiol, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Tetrahydrocurcumin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Phytosphingosine, Colloidal Oatmeal, Bisabolol, Superoxide Dismutase, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Glutathione, Squalane, Caffeine, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Acetyl Glutamine, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Glycolic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Lactobionic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Diheptyl Succinate, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Vp/Va Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Cholesterol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Metasilicate, Gluconolactone, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Raspberry Ketone, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water