The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Serum Versus Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV Brightening Fluid Glow SPF 50+
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propanediol
SolventAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningPropylene Carbonate
SolventHydroxypropylcellulose
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingBakuchiol
AntimicrobialBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantOxidized Starch Acetate
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Wax
C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer
StabilisingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingTin Oxide
AbrasiveTriethanolamine
BufferingDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV AbsorberAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
Tocopherol
AntioxidantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialMica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77400
Cosmetic ColorantLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Niacinamide, CI 77891, Oxidized Starch Acetate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Tin Oxide, Triethanolamine, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Mica, Iron Oxides, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77400, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Citral, Parfum
Reviews
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.Citral is a fragrance and used to add a lemon-like scent to products. It is both naturally found in plants and created synthetically. In plants, it is commonly occurring in lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon tea-tree, lemon verbena, and other citruses.
The EU mandates Citral be listed separately as a fragrance. It is a known allergen and may cause contact dermatitis. Citral can also used as a masking ingredient.
The term '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.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
Learn more about CitralGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin 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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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 LinaloolParfum 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 ParfumPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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 Water