The Body Shop Drops Of Light™ Brightening Serum Versus The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Serum
Updated on November 06, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens and fragrances
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
The Body Shop Drops Of Light™ Brightening Serum 27 ingredients
The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Serum 19 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
The Body Shop Drops Of Light™ Brightening Serum 27 ingredients
The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Serum 19 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-20
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Flour
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Rosa Centifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-20, Methyl Gluceth-20, Alcohol Denat., 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Rosa Centifolia Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Parfum
Propanediol
Solvent
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Carbonate
SolventHydroxypropylcellulose
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingLimonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAlcohol 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.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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWe don't have a description for Palmaria Palmata Extract yet.
Parfum 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.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterIngredient Ratings
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When to use
The Body Shop Drops Of Light™ Brightening Serum 27 ingredients
The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Serum 19 ingredients
Reviews
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