Skin science article
Garnier Vitamin C 2-In-1 Brightening Serum Cream Versus Haruharu Wonder Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream
Garnier Vitamin C 2-In-1 Brightening Serum Cream Versus Haruharu Wonder Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream This brightening day moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade th
Garnier Vitamin C 2-In-1 Brightening Serum Cream Versus Haruharu Wonder Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream
This brightening day moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Madecassoside to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Dimethicone
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Triethanolamine
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Octyldodecanol
Isopropyl Isostearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Behenyl Alcohol
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Tin Oxide
Stearic Acid
Titanium Dioxide
Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Glucoside
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Silica
Myristic Acid
Palmitic Acid
Adenosine
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Hydroxyacetophenone
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Citric Acid
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Chlorphenesin
Mica
CI 77891
Linalool
Geraniol
Limonene
Citronellol
Parfum
Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Triethanolamine, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octyldodecanol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Tin Oxide, Stearic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Silica, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Adenosine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Chlorphenesin, Mica, CI 77891, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Citronellol, Parfum
Butylene Glycol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
1,2-Hexanediol
Cetyl Palmitate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sorbitan Palmitate
Sorbitan Olivate
Glyceryl Stearate
Stearyl Alcohol
Xanthan Gum
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Myristyl Alcohol
Squalane
Caffeine
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Pentylene Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Phytosterols
Lauryl Alcohol
Centella Asiatica Extract
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
Madecassoside
Asiaticoside
Caprylyl Glycol
Xylitylglucoside
Anhydroxylitol
Copper Tripeptide-1
Xylitol
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Asiatic Acid
Madecassic Acid
Glucose
Ceramide NP
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Oligopeptide-32
Oligopeptide-29
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Myristyl Alcohol, Squalane, Caffeine, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phytosterols, Lauryl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Xylitol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Glucose, Ceramide NP, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Oligopeptide-32, Oligopeptide-29, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
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.
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
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.
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.
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!