Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster Versus SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster Versus SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ascorbic Acid

Dipropylene Glycol

Propanediol

Glycerin

Ethoxydiglycol

Sodium Hydroxide

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Bisabolol

Ferulic Acid

Sodium Phytate

Decylene Glycol

Tocopherol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sphingomonas Ferment Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bisabolol, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Decylene Glycol, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol

Butylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Tranexamic Acid

Propylene Glycol

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Kojic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Allantoin

Chlorphenesin

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Tranexamic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Kojic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA

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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.

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!

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