Alastin C-Radical Defense Antioxidant Serum Versus IMAGE skincare Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum

Alastin C-Radical Defense Antioxidant Serum Versus IMAGE skincare Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sodium Ascorbate and Ubiquinone to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate to hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Squalane

Sodium Ascorbate

Ubiquinone

Ectoin

Physalis Angulata Extract

Betaine

Phosphatidylcholine

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Carnosine

Centella Asiatica Extract

Olea Europaea Leaf Extract

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Ergothioneine

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract

Bisabolol

Lactoferrin

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Cetyl Alcohol

Sodium Benzoate

Xanthan Gum

Tocopherol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Propanediol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Caprylyl Glycol

Mannitol

Lecithin

Phenoxyethanol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Squalane, Sodium Ascorbate, Ubiquinone, Ectoin, Physalis Angulata Extract, Betaine, Phosphatidylcholine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carnosine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ergothioneine, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Lactoferrin, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Mannitol, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Limonene

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Dimethicone

Di-PPG-2 Myreth-10 Adipate

Stearic Acid

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Panthenol

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Butylene Glycol

Glycine Soja Sterols

Linoleic Acid

Phospholipids

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Squalene

Propylene Glycol

Glucosamine Hcl

Hexylene Glycol

Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate

PEG-8

Pisum Sativum Extract

Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract

Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate

Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Disodium EDTA

Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil

Yeast Polysaccharides

Sodium Hyaluronate

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Carbomer

Eugenol

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Benzoic Acid

Ascorbic Acid

Sodium Lactate

Polysorbate 20

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract

Taurine

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

BHT

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Darutoside

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Arginine

Leucine

Lysine

Valine

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limonene, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Di-PPG-2 Myreth-10 Adipate, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Panthenol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalene, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucosamine Hcl, Hexylene Glycol, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, PEG-8, Pisum Sativum Extract, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Yeast Polysaccharides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Carbomer, Eugenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, Taurine, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Potassium Sorbate, BHT, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Darutoside, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Arginine, Leucine, Lysine, Sodium Benzoate, Valine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

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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.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.

In cosmetics, it plays several roles:

The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.

This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.

It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.

Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.

This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.

Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.

Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.

The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).

In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.

So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.

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).

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%.

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).

Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is one of the most researched botanical extracts in skincare with decades of studies backing its effects on inflammation, collagen, and the skin barrier.

That research keeps pointing back to the same four triterpenoid saponins: Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid.

These compounds allow centella to dial back inflammation, encourage the skin to build and hold onto collagen, support the barrier and hydration, and bring solid antioxidant activity to protect against signs of aging.

Centella also carries a nice supporting cast of Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and amino acids. Put it all together and you get an ingredient that soothes, hydrates, and protects, all at once.

Most of centella's magic comes from the four big compounds (Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid). These are the actives doing the heavy lifting in almost every centella study.

Here is the short version of what they do in the skin:

So it is not just soothing for the sake of soothing. Centella calms the skin AND helps it rebuild.

Just FYI, not all centella on an ingredient list is the same. What you are getting actually depends on the extract:

Fun fact on the ratios: the leaves tend to be richest in Madecassoside and Asiaticoside, and lower in the two acids. The exact amounts shift with where the plant is grown and how it is processed. This means purity really does vary brand to brand.

Centella is one of the most easygoing actives out there.

It layers well with basically everything: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamin C, and also pairs nicely with stronger actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids where it can help take the edge off irritation.

On the safety side, centella and its triterpenes are classified as weak sensitizers, meaning allergic reactions are possible but uncommon.

Patch tests at 1% and 5% came back negative in test panels, and creams at typical use levels did not cause allergic reactions across large groups of people.

But as with any new active, a patch test is still a smart move for very reactive skin.

Centella is widely used because it is effective at low percentages. For context, human safety testing found no meaningful irritation from creams containing centella extract at everyday use levels (the tested amounts were well under 1%).

The irritancy threshold in animal testing was also above 30% (so real-world formulas sit far below anything concerning).

In collagen lab studies, higher concentrations drove more collagen synthesis, so serums built around centella tend to feature it more prominently.

Bottom line: you will find centella working nicely anywhere from a fraction of a percent up to hero-ingredient levels depending on whether it is a supporting soother or the main event.

Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Olive tree leaves contain more antioxidants than olive fruit.

This is due to its rich flavonoid and polyphenol content. However, the antioxidant content varies depending on plant variety, harvesting method, leaf maturity, and extraction method.

This ingredient also has a natural fragrance. Read more about fragrance in cosmetics here.

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.

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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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