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Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum Versus Skin Functional Anhydrous Vitamin C 10% Ascorbic Acid + 3% Ferulic Acid

Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum Versus Skin Functional Anhydrous Vitamin C 10% Ascorbic Acid + 3% Ferulic Acid This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and brig

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum Versus Skin Functional Anhydrous Vitamin C 10% Ascorbic Acid + 3% Ferulic Acid

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dimethicone

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Ceramide NP

Tocotrienols

Tocopherol

Ubiquinone

Thioctic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Ferulic Acid

Beta-Glucan

Superoxide Dismutase

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Ergothioneine

Glutathione

Xanthophylls

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Glycerin

Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract

Lupinus Albus Seed Extract

Curcuma Longa Root

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ceramide NP, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Thioctic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ferulic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Superoxide Dismutase, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Xanthophylls, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycerin, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Phenoxyethanol

Propanediol

Ascorbic Acid

Propanediol, Ascorbic Acid, Ferulic Acid

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.

Ferulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.

A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.

A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:

As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.

Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.

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. 03Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  4. 04What it does:
  5. 05Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  6. 06Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  7. 07Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
  8. 08This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
  9. 09Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
  10. 10Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
  11. 11This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
  12. 12On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
  13. 13One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too st…
  14. 14Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
  15. 15You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
  16. 16Homosalate is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter that has been a sunscreen staple for decades. Its job is to absorb UVB rays (~295-315 nm) and protect your skin against sunburn,
  17. 17This is one of the more photostable organic UV filters; it holds up pretty well under UV and a 2022 quantum-chemistry study found it stays stable in sunlight.
  18. 18It's actually so reliable that formulators often pair it with shakier ingredients like oxybenzone and avobenzone. Formulators also use it to help dissolve the other UV filters into the oil phase.
  19. 19One thing to keep in mind: "stable" isn't the same as "strong". On its own, homosalate is actually a pretty weak UV filter so it's better off as a helpful team player that helps boost overall SPF protection.
  20. 20The safety picture is a bit nuanced but not scary.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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