Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum Versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum

Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum Versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Tranexamic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

Alcohol Denat.

Glycolic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Methyl Gluceth-20

Tranexamic Acid

4-Ethylresorcinol

Hexapeptide-2

Rice Amino Acids

Urea

Yeast Amino Acids

Trehalose

Inositol

Taurine

Betaine

Zinc Gluconate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Allantoin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Sodium Metabisulfite

Sodium Sulfite

Sodium Hydroxide

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Polyquaternium-4

Disodium EDTA

Limonene

Benzyl Salicylate

Linalool

Parfum

Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tranexamic Acid, 4-Ethylresorcinol, Hexapeptide-2, Rice Amino Acids, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Zinc Gluconate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyquaternium-4, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Parfum

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Dimethicone

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

Mannitol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sodium PCA

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Ascorbic Acid

Glucose

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Polyquaternium-51

Ergothioneine

Triacetin

Sodium Hyaluronate

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

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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.

Trehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.

As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.

In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.

Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.

Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.

As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.

Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.

In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.

Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.

Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.

Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:

Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.

Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.

As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.

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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