Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum versus Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum .
Last updated on February 16, 2024. Published on March 27, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, 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.
Price
Ingredient Info
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum 14 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 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 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
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 🎉
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:
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 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum 14 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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:
This product contains 1 ingredient 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 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.
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum 14 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Water • Niacinamide • Glycerin • Tranexamic Acid • C13-15 Alkane • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Ethyl Macadamiate • Behenyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate • Butylene Glycol • Silybum Marianum Seed Oil • Tocopherol • Lactobacillus/Coconut Fruit Juice Ferment Filtrate • Lecithin • Bakuchiol • Xanthan Gum • Caprylyl Glycol • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Allantoin • Glycine Soja Oil • Hexylene Glycol • Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract • Glycine Soja Sterols • Citric Acid • Sodium Phytate • Malic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • 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 WaterSkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
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 NiacinamideSkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 GlycerinSkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Tranexamic Acid is best used for treating hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and melasma. It can also help build a stronger skin barrier.
Once applied, Tranexamic Acid starts decreasing inflammation from UV exposure. Tranexamic Acid also prevents our skin cells from meeting the pigment production cells.
Fun fact: Tranexamic Acid is also a medication used to reduce heavy bleeding.
This acid is derived from lysine, an amino acid.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidSkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 GlycolSkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.
Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Learn more about AllantoinSkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
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 GumSkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum 14 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum 14 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum.
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