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Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow 15% Vitamin C Serum Versus Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Ampoule Serum

Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow 15% Vitamin C Serum Versus Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Ampoule Serum This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging ampoule is formu

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow 15% Vitamin C Serum Versus Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Ampoule Serum

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

This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ascorbic Acid

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Butylene Glycol

PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin

Ferulic Acid

Tocopherol

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycerin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein

Ceramide AP

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Ceramide AP

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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.

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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

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

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Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
  4. 04Not 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:
  5. 05Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
  6. 06One 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.
  7. 07While 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.
  8. 08The 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% be…
  9. 09Skin 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.
  10. 10Ascorbic 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…
  11. 11Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
  12. 12Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
  13. 13Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  14. 14Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  15. 15Your 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.
  16. 16Aquaporin-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.
  17. 17This 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.
  18. 18Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  19. 19Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  20. 20Water. 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.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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