Updated on June 28, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 2 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
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
Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum 11 ingredients
Paula's Choice Clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment 25 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum 11 ingredients
Paula's Choice Clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment 25 ingredients
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 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 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:
Concerns
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:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients 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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 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 3 ingredients 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 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Antioxidant 6 Benefits
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
Helps with Anti-Aging
Ferulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Ferulic Acid can help reduce the formation of fine lines and hyperpigmentation.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Fragrance Preservative 6 Concerns
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Dehydroacetic Acid is fungicide and bactericide. It is used as a preservative in cosmetics. Preservatives help elongate the shelf life of a product.
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.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Acetyl Glucosamine is an antioxidant and humectant. It is a form of Vitamin C.
Antioxidant 6 Benefits
Ascorbyl Glucoside is a stable form of Vitamin C. It is created by combining glucose from starch.
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
Portulaca Oleracea Extract is an extract of the whole plant of the Purslane, Portulaca oleracea L., Portulacaceae. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hydrating properties.
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract comes from the Japanese Camellia plant. This plant is native to East Asia and known as "Tsubaki" in Japanese.
EGCG is most famous for being found in green tea. It is a type of catechin, a potent antioxidant.
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract comes from the Boerhavia Diffusa tree, or more commonly known as punarnava, red spiderling, spreading hogweed, or tarvine.
5 Benefits
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
2 Concerns
Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.
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.
Sclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Water, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Lecithin, Pullulan, Panthenol, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5 or dexpanthenol in dermatology.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
Learn more about PanthenolIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum 11 ingredients
Paula's Choice Clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment 25 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum 11 ingredients
DamDamfino
I've tried about 5 different Vitamin C serums, and this one is by far my favorite. I've purchased it 3 times. (I started using it back when it was...
I've tried about 5 different Vitamin C serums, and this one is by far my favorite. I've purchased it 3 times. (I started using it back when it was the dropper bottle)
My skin can tolerate higher Vit C percentages very well, so this feels like nothing on my skin. As if I was putting on water. I don't mind the ferulic acid smell (which is noticeably less now than it used to be!), because I think having it in the formula is more important than not.
Even in the new opaque pump top packaging, the product will still oxidize rather quickly - so don't be afraid to use it! Use it daily, use it on your neck, your chest, your arms. Use it up before it turns orange!
I see results when using this very fast. Stubborn cystic acne clears up within a week. Old red acne marks fade faster. Freckles and pigmentation lighten dramatically within a few weeks. And it prevents new acne. I really do see results and this is one of the quickest and friendliest products/ingredients to do that for me!
Downsides:
- it still oxidizes rather fast. So, like I said, use use use it up.
- I prefer the old dropper bottle packaging, I need about 2-3 pumps for my face, and another 2 for my neck/decolletage. I also do not like not being able to see how much product is inside.
- the formula in the newer packaging feels a little more ...watery than before? I can't help but feel like most of the product stays on my hands and doesn't get transferred adequately to my face.
- I had a bad cross reaction with this product and The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% serum. I don't care what the internet says - I learned the hard way that Vit C and Niacinamide DO interact with each other. I now keep the Vit C for the morning and Niacinamide for the evening. But whew boy, that was painful.
Overall I really love the higher % of Vit C plus the Ferulic Acid combo, and this is the best serum I've tried that my skin likes, that I can see works, and is affordable.
AndrenaDurandoBalsells
I used this regularly before they rebranded since I read it was a great dupe for Skinceuticals but for some reason once I ran out I didn't rebuy it. I think it became more...
I used this regularly before they rebranded since I read it was a great dupe for Skinceuticals but for some reason once I ran out I didn't rebuy it. I think it became more expensive and though I liked it, I wanted to love it. I can't find a vitamin c serum since.
