e.l.f. cosmetics Beauty Shield Vitamin C Pollution Prevention Serum Versus Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%

e.l.f. cosmetics Beauty Shield Vitamin C Pollution Prevention Serum Versus Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% Detailed comparison of e.l.f. cosmetics Beauty Shield Vitamin C Pollution Prevention Serum versus Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%. This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles. Water Ethoxydiglycol 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid Glycerin Propylene Glycol Tocopheryl Acetate Sodium Hyaluronate Punica Granatum Extract Butylene Glycol Coceth-7 PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Disodium EDTA Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Parfum Water, Ethoxydiglycol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Punica Granatum Extract, Butylene Glycol, Coceth-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum Ascorbic Acid Alcohol Ascorbyl Glucoside Sorbitol Zinc Chloride Calcium Hydroxide Propylene Glycol, Water, Ascorbic Acid, Alcohol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zinc Chloride, Calcium Hydroxide, Parfum These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Ethoxydiglycol (aka Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether) is one of the cosmetic world's quiet problem solvers. In a formula, it is a solvent that dissolves tricky ingredients that don't want to mix in and helps spread ingredients evenly across your skin without leaving a greasy or sticky feeling This makes it great for hard-to-dissolve actives like vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and self-tanner DHA. It also has mild humectant and penetration enhancer abilities so it can help some actives absorb a little deeper. The penetration boost is backed by lab research: studies using human skin samples found it improved how well an active dissolves into the upper layer of skin rather than tearing down your skin barrier. Reviews of its mechanism also describe it interacting gently with the lipids and water in your outermost layer of skin. Just know this penetration-enhancing effect is not universal. It helps a lot in some formulas and did very little in others (so the benefit really depends on the specific product). Safety-wise, the evidence is reassuring. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed it and concluded it's safe for use in cosmetics and recognized it as non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-comedogenic in skincare. Typical leave-on skincare usage lands around 1-10%. The EU has sets caps of 2.6% in non-spray products, 10% in rinse-offs, 7% in oxidative hair dye, and 5% in non-oxidative hair dye. Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products. Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture. For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations. The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards. One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'. Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol. Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent. The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at