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Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum Versus Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide

Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum Versus Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-look

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum Versus Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen With Collagen Peptide

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

This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Propylene Glycol

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Ascorbic Acid

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Cyclohexasiloxane

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Lauroyl Lysine

Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer

Polysilicone-11

Adenosine

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Limonene

Isobutane

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Citral

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Limonene, Isobutane, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citral, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 7%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Octocrylene 7%

Water

C15-19 Alkane

Propanediol

C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer

Tocopherol

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sclerotium Gum

Hydroxyacetophenone

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate

Glyceryl Stearate

Jojoba Esters

Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax

Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Carbomer

Sodium Lactate

Sodium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 20

Polyglycerin-3

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 7%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Water, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Propanediol, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Polyglycerin-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

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.

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 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. 03Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is an oil-soluble used to absorb the full spectrum of UVA rays (peak 357 nm).
  4. 04It's one of the most effective UVA filters available but has a major caveat of photostability: avobenzone is susceptible to photodegradation.
  5. 05This means it can lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight without the help of a stabilizing agent.
  6. 06Studies show antioxidants (like vitamin E or vitamin C) and some UV filters (like octocrylene and Tinosorb S) can meaningfully improve its stability in a formulation.
  7. 07The maximum allowable concentration according to regulation is 3% in the US + Canada, and 5% in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, and ASEAN countries.
  8. 08It has a well-support safety profile: a comprehensive 2025 review found minimal toxicity with no evidence of carcinogenicity.
  9. 09Overall, avobenzone is a safe and regulated ingredient used in sunscreen for over 40 years.
  10. 10We don't have a description for C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer yet.
  11. 11Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  12. 12Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  13. 13Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  14. 14Ethylhexyl Salicylate (also called Octisalate or Octyl Salicylate) is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that's been used in sunscreen since the 1950's.
  15. 15It absorbs UVB light in the 280-320 nm range with a peak absorbance around 306 nm.
  16. 16You'll often see it paired with other UV filters to boost overall SPF because octisalate is a fairly week filter on its own.
  17. 17The reason you'll see it so often is because it can help solubilize and stabilize the trickier filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone.
  18. 18Unlike these filters, octisalate has pretty good photostability and doesn't create skin-damaging free radicals when exposed to sunlight.
  19. 19The fatty-alcohol part of the molecule also gives it a light, emollient feel so it doubles as a nice texture enhancer.
  20. 20Usage levels vary around the world:
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

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