Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Skin&Lab Vitamin C Brightening Serum Versus The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C And EGF Serum

Skin&Lab Vitamin C Brightening Serum Versus The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C And EGF Serum This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This brightening serum is

Skin&Lab Vitamin C Brightening Serum Versus The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C And EGF Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This brightening serum is formulated around 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

Methylpropanediol

Propanediol

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Betaine

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Panthenol

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Glucose

Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans

Trehalose

Butylene Glycol

Fructooligosaccharides

Fructose

Tromethamine

Benzyl Glycol

Adenosine

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Phytate

Citric Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Ascorbic Acid

Biotin

Cyanocobalamin

Folic Acid

Pantothenic Acid

Pyridoxine

Riboflavin

Thiamine Hcl

Bioflavonoids

Glutathione

Linoleic Acid

Menadione

Retinol

Tocopherol

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Water, Methylpropanediol, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glucose, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Trehalose, Butylene Glycol, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Tromethamine, Benzyl Glycol, Adenosine, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Cyanocobalamin, Folic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hcl, Bioflavonoids, Glutathione, Linoleic Acid, Menadione, Retinol, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Sodium Hydroxide

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Sodium Metabisulfite

Dehydroacetic Acid

Phytic Acid

Oligopeptide-1

Water, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phytic Acid, Oligopeptide-1

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.

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
  11. 11And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
  12. 12You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
  13. 13In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
  14. 14If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
  15. 15When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
  16. 16When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
  17. 17In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
  18. 18Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger l…
  19. 19Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
  20. 20The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side