Allies of Skin 20% Vitamin C Brighten + Firm Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum

Allies of Skin 20% Vitamin C Brighten + Firm Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum Detailed comparison of Allies of Skin 20% Vitamin C Brighten + Firm Serum versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum. This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Glutathione to brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin. Propanediol Glycerin 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid Benzimidazole Diamond Amidoethyl Urea Carbamoyl Propyl Polymethylsilsesquioxane Dimethyl Isosorbide Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax Polyglyceryl-10 Tristearate Ethoxydiglycol Dicaprylyl Ether Water Caprylyl Glycol Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract Glutathione Acetyl Cysteine Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol Ergothioneine Tocopherol Gluconolactone Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Xanthan Gum Silica Sodium Benzoate Calcium Gluconate Phenoxyethanol Propanediol, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Benzimidazole Diamond Amidoethyl Urea Carbamoyl Propyl Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Polyglyceryl-10 Tristearate, Ethoxydiglycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Glutathione, Acetyl Cysteine, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Ergothioneine, Tocopherol, Gluconolactone, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol Cyclopentasiloxane Dimethicone Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 Ceramide NP Tocotrienols Ubiquinone Thioctic Acid Tocopheryl Acetate Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Ferulic Acid Beta-Glucan Superoxide Dismutase Epigallocatechin Gallate Xanthophylls Glycine Soja Seed Extract Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract Lupinus Albus Seed Extract Curcuma Longa Root Elaeis Guineensis Oil 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 These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Ergothioneine is an amino acid found naturally in mushrooms, grains, and meat. It has antioxidant and skin soothing properties. This amino acid helps with: Maintaining DNA stability and cell reproduction Enhances cellular immunity Skin brightening Anti-aging Skin soothing Glutathione is a tiny protein-like molecule (a "tripeptide" build from 3 amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid) that your body already makes on its own. Inside your body, it acts as one of the skin's main antioxidants that help fight against free radicals. In skincare, it's best known as a brightening ingredient that slows down tyrosinase, the key enzyme that makes skin pigment. It also nudges the skin toward making a lighter type of pigment instead of a darker one. This is why you'll see it in products aimed at dark spots and uneven tone. A small number of real human trials have found a topical glutathione lotion: The honest caveat is that the current evidence is still thin (few studies, small groups, short timelines). Glutathione also doesn't absorb into skin very easily so results tend to be modest and fade if you stop using it. One thing worth clearing up: The scary side effects you may have heard about come from glutathione injected intravenously, which has real safety concerns. Applying it topically is a completely different thing and has a clean track record. Most human studies used it around 2% (as Glutathione or Glutathione Disulfide) and a 2% oxidized glutathione lotion and a 2% S-acyl glutathione cream are the concentrations with actual clinical data behind them. There's no established "ideal" percentage yet but 1-2% is the evidence-backed range. Allergy-wise, there is very low risk for this ingredient; it was well-tolerated across the topical trials. Only one participant had mild temporary redness that cleared up on its own and another study reported no adverse reactions at all. One trial had ~10% of users drop out for irritation was using a combination cream that also had 10% azelaic acid so the irritation likely wasn't from the glutathione. There's no notable contact-allergy signal for topical glutathione in the literature but patch-testing before first use is still sensible for those with sensitive skin. 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,