Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum Versus Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum Versus Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Glycolic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Niacinamide

Glycereth-7 Triacetate

Lactic Acid

Sd Alcohol 40-B

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Ascorbic Acid

Collagen Amino Acids

Superoxide Dismutase

Glycine

Carnitine Hcl

Ubiquinone

Hexylresorcinol

Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Isoquercetin

Mandelic Acid

Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Phytic Acid

Citric Acid

Tetrasodium EDTA

Sodium Citrate

Butylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Polysorbate 20

T-Butyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 80

Denatonium Benzoate

Benzyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Lactic Acid, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Superoxide Dismutase, Glycine, Carnitine Hcl, Ubiquinone, Hexylresorcinol, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Isoquercetin, Mandelic Acid, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 80, Denatonium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Squalane

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

PEG-8 Beeswax

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

Glycine Soja Sterols

Sodium Phytate

Tocopherol

Acetamidoethoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Jojoba Esters

Glycolic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Cetyl Alcohol

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Chlorphenesin

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Saccharide Isomerate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil

Linalool

Limonene

Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, PEG-8 Beeswax, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Glycine Soja Sterols, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Acetamidoethoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Glycolic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Chlorphenesin, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

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.

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.

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.

THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).

Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.

Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.

Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.

A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).

While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.

THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

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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