Superdrug Vitamin C Booster Versus Obagi Elastiderm Facial Serum
Updated on October 08, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Superdrug Vitamin C Booster 26 ingredients
Obagi Elastiderm Facial Serum 20 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Superdrug Vitamin C Booster 26 ingredients
Obagi Elastiderm Facial Serum 20 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Polyacrylamide
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycereth-26, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Alcohol Denat., Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Hydroxide, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Benzophenone-4, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMalonic Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Amodimethicone
Zinc Carbonate
Copper Carbonate Hydroxide
AntimicrobialT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Carbomer, Malonic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Amodimethicone, Zinc Carbonate, Copper Carbonate Hydroxide, T-Butyl Alcohol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
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 HydroxideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterIngredient Ratings
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