Allies of Skin 35% Vitamin C+ Perfecting Serum Versus Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum

Allies of Skin 35% Vitamin C+ Perfecting Serum Versus Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ethoxydiglycol

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Glutathione

Superoxide Dismutase

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Ethoxydiglycol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glutathione, Superoxide Dismutase, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

Water

Propanediol

Ascorbic Acid

Isopentyldiol

Ferulic Acid

Ergothioneine

Inulin

Niacinamide

Hydroxyacetophenone

Aminomethyl Propanol

1,2-Hexanediol

Mannitol

Water, Propanediol, Ascorbic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Isopentyldiol, Ferulic Acid, Ergothioneine, Inulin, Niacinamide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Aminomethyl Propanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Mannitol

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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.

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).

Ethoxydiglycol (aka Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether) is one of the cosmetic world's quiet problem solvers.

In a formula, it is a solvent that dissolves tricky ingredients that don't want to mix in and helps spread ingredients evenly across your skin without leaving a greasy or sticky feeling

This makes it great for hard-to-dissolve actives like vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and self-tanner DHA.

It also has mild humectant and penetration enhancer abilities so it can help some actives absorb a little deeper.

The penetration boost is backed by lab research: studies using human skin samples found it improved how well an active dissolves into the upper layer of skin rather than tearing down your skin barrier. Reviews of its mechanism also describe it interacting gently with the lipids and water in your outermost layer of skin.

Just know this penetration-enhancing effect is not universal. It helps a lot in some formulas and did very little in others (so the benefit really depends on the specific product).

Safety-wise, the evidence is reassuring. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed it and concluded it's safe for use in cosmetics and recognized it as non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-comedogenic in skincare.

Typical leave-on skincare usage lands around 1-10%. The EU has sets caps of 2.6% in non-spray products, 10% in rinse-offs, 7% in oxidative hair dye, and 5% in non-oxidative hair dye.

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