Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence

Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence

This brightening serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract and Squalane to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

This anti-aging essence is formulated around Lactobionic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Squalane

Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Bisabolol

Glyceryl Stearate

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Potassium Sorbate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Citric Acid

Sodium Phytate

Sodium Hydroxide

Parfum

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Bisabolol, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Benzoate

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Trideceth-9

Disodium EDTA

Lactobionic Acid

Maris Aqua

Tocopherol

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Propylene Glycol

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

T-Butyl Alcohol

Limonene

Zinc Gluconate

Magnesium Aspartate

Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Collagen Amino Acids

Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract

Linalool

Phenoxyethanol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Citronellol

Geraniol

Copper Gluconate

Water, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Lactobionic Acid, Maris Aqua, Tocopherol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Citric Acid, T-Butyl Alcohol, Limonene, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Collagen Amino Acids, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Sodium Hydroxide, Copper Gluconate

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Parfum 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.

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.

It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.

One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.

This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

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