Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Beautycounter Counter+ All Bright C Serum Versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum

Beautycounter Counter+ All Bright C Serum Versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum Detailed comparison of Beautycounter Counter+ All Bright C Serum versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum. This brightening serum

This source-based comparison does not add ratings or recommend a winner.

Beautycounter Counter+ All Bright C Serum Versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum Detailed comparison of Beautycounter Counter+ All Bright C Serum versus Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum. This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Phytic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. Water Propanediol Bis-Glyceryl Ascorbate Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Pentylene Glycol Coconut Alkanes Glycerin Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Curcuma Longa Root Extract Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract Curcumin Sodium Hyaluronate Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil Phytic Acid Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil Coco-Caprylate/Caprate Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil Ethylhexylglycerin Potassium Sorbate Phenoxyethanol Decanal Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil Ionone Ethyl Lactate Vanillin Isoamyl Acetate Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate Methoxyphenylbutanone Oxacycloheptadec-10-En-2-One Dimethylhydroxy Furanone Ethyl Propionate Ethyl Cinnamate Hexenyl Acetate Triethyl Citrate Benzyl Acetate Ethyl Acetate Citral Limonene Linalool Water, Propanediol, Bis-Glyceryl Ascorbate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Coconut Alkanes, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Curcumin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Phytic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Decanal, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Ionone, Ethyl Lactate, Vanillin, Isoamyl Acetate, Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate, Methoxyphenylbutanone, Oxacycloheptadec-10-En-2-One, Dimethylhydroxy Furanone, Ethyl Propionate, Ethyl Cinnamate, Hexenyl Acetate, Triethyl Citrate, Benzyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool Dimethicone C9-12 Alkane Ascorbyl Glucoside Silica Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract Hydrogenated Lecithin Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Xanthan Gum Oryza Sativa Bran Extract Cetyl Alcohol Caprylyl Glycol Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate Tocopherol Glutathione Sodium Citrate Sodium Phytate Hexylene Glycol Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract Urea Mannitol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Sodium PCA Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Polysorbate 60 Sorbitan Isostearate Trehalose Ascorbic Acid Glucose Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract Polyquaternium-51 Ergothioneine Triacetin Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Silica, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Tocopherol, Glutathione, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Urea, Mannitol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium PCA, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trehalose, Ascorbic Acid, Glucose, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Ergot These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid. It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel. Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture. This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating. Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%. Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24). Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne. 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. This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel. It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients. 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 re