TruSkin Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer Versus The INKEY List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer

TruSkin Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer Versus The INKEY List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Isopropyl Palmitate

Glyceryl Stearate

Dimethyl Sulfone

Cetyl Alcohol

Ascorbic Acid

Stearic Acid

Glycerin

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Tocopherol

Pantothenic Acid

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Taraxacum Officinale Extract

Pelargonium Graveolens Oil

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Cetyl Alcohol, Ascorbic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Pantothenic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Water

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Cetearyl Alcohol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Benzyl Alcohol

Carbomer

Sodium Hydroxide

Niacinamide

Panthenol

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dehydroacetic Acid

Lecithin

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lecithin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

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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.

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.

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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