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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The [pH]ix Vita C Primer versus Olay Super Serum .

Last updated on October 07, 2023. Published on December 17, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both serums. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, Vitamin C and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum American Brand United States
Serum American Brand United States

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Vita C Primer

Shop

Buy Super Serum

Starts at $29.94

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer 29 ingredients

Olay Super Serum 18 ingredients

alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer 29 ingredients

Olay Super Serum 18 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Exfoliators
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 1.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 3.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 5.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.

4
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

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 Niacinamide

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 6.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 10.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

6
What it does: Cosmetic Colorant
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Mica refers to a group of silicate minerals. Mica crystals are easily split to give products a shimmer. These crystals are able to reflect light to temporarily give your skin a glowy look.

Mica is found to be safe. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.

Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.

Mica can be naturally found throughout the world. However, some sources of mica may be controversial. In 2016, mica mined in the Jharkhand state in India was found to be using child labor. However, companies are able to source ethical mica affiliated with international organizations that monitor the mica supply chain.

Learn more about Mica

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 17.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.

7
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, 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.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. 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. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

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 Parfum

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 22.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

8
What it does: Cosmetic Colorant, UV Absorber, UV Filter
Community Rating: Mixed

Titanium dioxide is known for its UVA and UVB protection properties. It is non-comedogenic and non-irritating. Titanium Dioxide is a physical sunscreen. Physical sunscreens reflect light and prevent it from reaching your skin.

Protecting your skin against UV radiation can prevent the signs of aging. Sun damage is associated with fine-lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, and hyperpigmentation. Titanium dioxide can help prevent premature aging.

With modern production, nano-scale or fine-grade titanium dioxide can be easily produced for cosmetics. In sunscreen, titanium dioxide absorbs UV light. Our skin is not able to absorb Titanium dioxide, even nanoparticles.

Titanium itself is the 9th most common element in the Earth's crust. Titanium dioxide is formed when oxygen is introduced and can be found in ores, dust, sand, and soil.

Pure titanium dioxide is a white powder that is used in many products to add or change color.

Learn more about Titanium Dioxide

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer contains this as ingredient number 29.

Olay Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer 29 ingredients

Olay Super Serum 18 ingredients

34% are loved or liked
24% have mixed ratings
34% are disliked or very disliked
7% have no rating yet
61% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
28% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer 29 ingredients

Olay Super Serum 18 ingredients

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The [pH]ix Vita C Primer 29 ingredients

Vita C Primer hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Olay Super Serum 18 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
michaelrestifo_59's avatar

michaelrestifo_59

7 months ago · Normal Skin
Review

Good combo of ingredients, dimethicone to protect whlie healing

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