Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Deep Cream Versus Sunday Riley C.E.O Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Deep Cream Versus Sunday Riley C.E.O Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream

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

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Dimethicone

Sucrose

Pentylene Glycol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Collagen Amino Acids

Niacinamide

Carnitine Hcl

Hydroxyproline

Glycine

Carnitine

Squalane

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Tocopherol

Saccharide Isomerate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Superoxide Dismutase

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Ubiquinone

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Lactobacillus Ferment

Undaria Pinnatifida Extract

Glycolic Acid

Lecithin

Biotin

Maltodextrin

Caprylyl Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Carbomer

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Ammonium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 60

Potassium Hydroxide

Sodium Phytate

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract

Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract

Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Stem Extract

Fucus Vesiculosus Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Cananga Odorata Flower Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Rose Extract

Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract

Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract

Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Santalum Album Wood Extract

Triethyl Citrate

Phenoxyethanol

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Dimethicone, Sucrose, Pentylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Niacinamide, Carnitine Hcl, Hydroxyproline, Glycine, Carnitine, Squalane, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Saccharide Isomerate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Superoxide Dismutase, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ubiquinone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lactobacillus Ferment, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Glycolic Acid, Lecithin, Biotin, Maltodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ammonium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Stem Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Rose Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Santalum Album Wood Extract, Triethyl Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

C10-18 Triglycerides

PEG-8 Beeswax

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

Tapioca Starch

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Bisabolol

Jojoba Esters

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Limonene

Nylon-12

Rosa Centifolia Flower Wax

Rosa Damascena Flower Wax

Cetyl Alcohol

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Alcohol Denat.

Chlorphenesin

Citrus Australasica Fruit Extract

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract

Citrus Junos Fruit Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Lippia Citriodora Flower Extract

Oenothera Biennis Seed Extract

Rosa Canina Fruit Extract

Alteromonas Ferment Extract

Benzyl Alcohol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Linalool

Dehydroacetic Acid

Water, Squalane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, C10-18 Triglycerides, PEG-8 Beeswax, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Tapioca Starch, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citric Acid, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Glycerin, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Bisabolol, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Nylon-12, Rosa Centifolia Flower Wax, Rosa Damascena Flower Wax, Sodium Phytate, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Chlorphenesin, Citrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lippia Citriodora Flower Extract, Oenothera Biennis Seed Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linalool, Dehydroacetic Acid

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

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 Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.

Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

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".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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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