Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

BeautyStat Vitamin C Skin Refiner Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster

BeautyStat Vitamin C Skin Refiner Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tartaric Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture. This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Ac

BeautyStat Vitamin C Skin Refiner Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tartaric Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Cyclopentasiloxane

Isododecane

Ascorbic Acid

Polysilicone-11

Isocetyl Stearate

Petrolatum

Squalane

Dimethicone

Tartaric Acid

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Triethyl Citrate

Caprylyl Glycol

Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Ascorbic Acid, Polysilicone-11, Isocetyl Stearate, Petrolatum, Squalane, Dimethicone, Tartaric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol

Water

Dipropylene Glycol

Propanediol

Glycerin

Ethoxydiglycol

Sodium Hydroxide

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Bisabolol

Ferulic Acid

Sodium Phytate

Decylene Glycol

Tocopherol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sphingomonas Ferment Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bisabolol, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Decylene Glycol, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.

Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:

Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.

One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.

While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.

The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.

Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.

Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Butylene Glycol
  3. 03Polysorbate 20
  4. 04Cetyl Alcohol
  5. 05Salicylic Acid
  6. 06Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
  7. 07Cyclopentasiloxane
  8. 08Sorbitan Stearate
  9. 09Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
  10. 10Lauric Acid
  11. 11Allantoin
  12. 12Glycerin
  13. 13Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
  14. 14Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
  15. 15Epilobium Angustifolium Extract
  16. 16Dimethicone
  17. 17Xanthan Gum
  18. 18Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
  19. 19PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
  20. 20Sodium Hydroxide
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side