Skin science article
Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Ampoule Serum Versus Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum
Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Ampoule Serum Versus Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorb
Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Ampoule Serum Versus Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum
This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Ascorbic Acid
Butylene Glycol
Dipropylene Glycol
Glycerin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Ceramide AP
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Ceramide AP
Propylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Cyclohexasiloxane
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
Lauroyl Lysine
Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer
Polysilicone-11
Adenosine
Limonene
Isobutane
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Citral
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Limonene, Isobutane, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citral, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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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.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
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.
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.