COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum Versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum

COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum Versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum

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

This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ascorbic Acid 23%

Propanediol

Dimethicone

Tromethamine

Panthenol

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Squalane

Caffeine

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Sulfite

Disodium EDTA

Glutathione

Adenosine

Acetyl Glucosamine

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Allantoin

Dextrin

Tocotrienols

Tocopherol

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Butylene Glycol

Arginine

Niacinamide

Pentylene Glycol

Alcohol Denat.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Methyl Trimethicone

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Beta-Carotene

Water, Ascorbic Acid 23%, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Panthenol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Caffeine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Sulfite, Disodium EDTA, Glutathione, Adenosine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Dextrin, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Methyl Trimethicone, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Glycerin

C9-12 Alkane

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Silica

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Xanthan Gum

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Cetyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Phytate

Hexylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract

Urea

Mannitol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sodium PCA

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Trehalose

Ascorbic Acid

Glucose

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Polyquaternium-51

Ergothioneine

Triacetin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Silica, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Tocopherol, Glutathione, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Urea, Mannitol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium PCA, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trehalose, Ascorbic Acid, Glucose, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Ergothioneine, Triacetin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol

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.

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.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Glutathione is a tiny protein-like molecule (a "tripeptide" build from 3 amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid) that your body already makes on its own.

Inside your body, it acts as one of the skin's main antioxidants that help fight against free radicals.

In skincare, it's best known as a brightening ingredient that slows down tyrosinase, the key enzyme that makes skin pigment. It also nudges the skin toward making a lighter type of pigment instead of a darker one.

This is why you'll see it in products aimed at dark spots and uneven tone.

A small number of real human trials have found a topical glutathione lotion:

The honest caveat is that the current evidence is still thin (few studies, small groups, short timelines). Glutathione also doesn't absorb into skin very easily so results tend to be modest and fade if you stop using it.

One thing worth clearing up:

The scary side effects you may have heard about come from glutathione injected intravenously, which has real safety concerns. Applying it topically is a completely different thing and has a clean track record.

Most human studies used it around 2% (as Glutathione or Glutathione Disulfide) and a 2% oxidized glutathione lotion and a 2% S-acyl glutathione cream are the concentrations with actual clinical data behind them.

There's no established "ideal" percentage yet but 1-2% is the evidence-backed range.

Allergy-wise, there is very low risk for this ingredient; it was well-tolerated across the topical trials. Only one participant had mild temporary redness that cleared up on its own and another study reported no adverse reactions at all.

One trial had ~10% of users drop out for irritation was using a combination cream that also had 10% azelaic acid so the irritation likely wasn't from the glutathione. There's no notable contact-allergy signal for topical glutathione in the literature but patch-testing before first use is still sensible for those with sensitive skin.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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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