Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum Versus By Nature Vitamin C + Collagen Brightening & Hydrating Daily Moisturizer

Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum Versus By Nature Vitamin C + Collagen Brightening & Hydrating Daily Moisturizer

This brightening serum is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate to hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Cellulose Gum

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice

Maltodextrin

Lactobacillus

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Aloe Barbadensis Extract

Allantoin

Panthenol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Citrate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetearyl Olivate

Persea Gratissima Oil

Sorbitan Olivate

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate

Glycine Soja Protein

Benzyl Alcohol

Salicylic Acid

Disodium EDTA

Tocopherol

Sodium Hydroxide

Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Sorbic Acid

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract

Citric Acid

Chlorphenesin

Dipotassium EDTA

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Sodium Dextran Sulfate

Valine

Glycine

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Citral

Citronellol

Limonene

Linalool

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Glycine Soja Protein, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Dipotassium EDTA, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Valine, Glycine, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool

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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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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!

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.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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