Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Perfecting Serum Versus Cetaphil Healthy Renew Purified Peptides Face Serum

Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Perfecting Serum Versus Cetaphil Healthy Renew Purified Peptides Face Serum

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

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Panthenol and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Phenoxyethanol

Undecane

Xanthan Gum

Tridecane

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate

Xylitol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Pancratium Maritimum Extract

CI 77891

Tin Oxide

Tocopherol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Undecane, Xanthan Gum, Tridecane, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, CI 77891, Tin Oxide, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Butylene Glycol

Panthenol

1,2-Hexanediol

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Oryza Sativa Lees Extract

Leontopodium Alpinum Extract

Calcium Alginate

Propanediol

Hydrolyzed Soy Flour

Ethylhexylglycerin

Agar

Adenosine

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Caprylyl Glycol

Iron Oxides

Citric Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Buddleja Davidii Extract

Thymus Vulgaris Extract

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Calcium Alginate, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, Ethylhexylglycerin, Agar, Adenosine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Caprylyl Glycol, Iron Oxides, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Tocopherol

Reviews

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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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!

Similar Comparisons