Volition Beauty Strawberry-C Brightening Serum with Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster
This brightening serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.
This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningFragaria Ananassa Seed Extract
AntioxidantFragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMaris Aqua
HumectantCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientPicea Abies Extract
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingBentonite
AbsorbentSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
ChelatingCitric Acid
BufferingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Panthenol, Fragaria Ananassa Seed Extract, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Maris Aqua, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Picea Abies Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Bentonite, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantEthoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialSodium Phytate
ChelatingDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPropanediol 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 PropanediolSodium Phytate is the sodium salt of Phytic acid, a compound that plants store phosphorus in. It's the plant-derived alternative to ingredients like Disodium EDTA.
In skincare, this ingredient is a chelator that grabs onto trace metal ions like iron and copper that sneak into formulas through water/raw materials.
Those metals speed up oxidation so binding them keeps oils, fragrance, and actives from going off, stops color changes, and helps the preservative system work harder.
Survey data shows usage levels range from 0.0099%-0.5% in leave-on products, 0.025%-0.3% in rinse-off, and up to 0.05% in eye-area products. Suppliers typically recommend a range between 0.05-0.5%.
Learn more about Sodium PhytateWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water