Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating versus ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum .
Last updated on August 28, 2023. Published on December 01, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating 12 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum 53 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
- Coconut Alkanes
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Peg-100 Stearate
- Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
- Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
- Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
- Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
- Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
- Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
- Glycol Distearate
- C13-14 Isoparaffin
- Propylene Glycol Stearate
- Isostearic Acid
- Retinyl Palmitate
- Glyceryl Undecylenate
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating 12 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum 53 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients 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:
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This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 4 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:
This product contains 2 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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient 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 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:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating 12 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum 53 ingredients
Water • Coconut Alkanes • Methylheptyl Isostearate • Cetyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Isohexadecane • Butylene Glycol • Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil • Squalane • Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil • Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil • Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Rosa Canina Fruit Extract • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture • Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture • Polymethyl Methacrylate • Glycerin • Coco-Caprylate/Caprate • Glycol Distearate • Polyacrylamide • Oleth-20 • C13-14 Isoparaffin • Caprylyl Glycol • Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine • Propylene Glycol Stearate • Xanthan Gum • Tocopheryl Acetate • Propanediol • Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum • Laureth-7 • Disodium EDTA • Ethyl Ferulate • Myristyl Alcohol • Stearyl Alcohol • Aminomethyl Propanol • Phospholipids • Sodium Hyaluronate • Isostearic Acid • Retinyl Palmitate • Ascorbic Acid • Hexylene Glycol • C12-18 Fatty Acids Methyl Esters • Lauryl Alcohol • Lecithin • Tocopherol • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorphenesin • Glyceryl Caprylate • Glyceryl Undecylenate • Parfum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.
Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.
Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!
Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.
Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.
The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.
Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating contains this as ingredient number 3.
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum contains this as ingredient number 43.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.
Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.
Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).
In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.
The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.
Is squalane vegan? This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Learn more about SqualaneZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating contains this as ingredient number 6.
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
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 AcetateZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating contains this as ingredient number 8.
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum contains this as ingredient number 30.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.
ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating contains this as ingredient number 12.
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum contains this as ingredient number 49.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating 12 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum 53 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating 12 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum 53 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 7 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating.
See 7 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 15 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to ZO Skin Health Illuminating Aox Serum.
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