Yuderma Renewcell Vitamin-C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus The Formula rx Vitamin C Brightening Serum

Yuderma Renewcell Vitamin-C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus The Formula rx Vitamin C Brightening Serum

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ascorbic Acid

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 5%

Ascorbyl Glucoside 5%

Punica Granatum Extract

Glutathione

Ferulic Acid

Lactic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Betula Alba Bark Extract

Tocopherol

Niacinamide

Allantoin

Tetrahydropiperine

Bisabolol

Ascorbic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 5%, Ascorbyl Glucoside 5%, Punica Granatum Extract, Glutathione, Ferulic Acid, Lactic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Tetrahydropiperine, Bisabolol

Water

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Glycerin

Arbutin

Acetyl Glucosamine

Propanediol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Polysorbate 60

Sodium Hyaluronate

Phenoxyethanol

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Disodium EDTA

Citric Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Arbutin, Acetyl Glucosamine, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.

Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:

In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.

The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.

A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.

Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).

Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

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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