Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum Versus Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum

Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum Versus Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum versus Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum. This brightening ser

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Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum Versus Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum versus Murad Vitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum. This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This brightening serum is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture. 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 Ergothioneine Triacetin Sodium Hyaluronate Phenoxyethanol 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, Ergothioneine, Triacetin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol Glycolic Acid Sodium Hydroxide Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer Diisopropyl Sebacate C13-16 Isoparaffin Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 Dimethyl Isosorbide Yeast Amino Acids Inositol Taurine Betaine Cetearyl Isononanoate Oleyl Alcohol Hexylresorcinol Polysilicone-11 Triheptanoin Polyisobutene Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower Butylene Glycol Mica Sodium Surfactin Xymenynic Acid Tocopheryl Acetate PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract Sorbitol Tin Oxide T-Butyl Alcohol Chlorella Vulgaris Extract Decyl Glucoside Gold Citric Acid Sodium Benzoate Potassium Sorbate CI 77891 Water, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Diisopropyl Sebacate, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glutathione, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Oleyl Alcohol, Silica, Hexylresorcinol, Polysilicone-11, Triheptanoin, Polyisobutene, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower, Butylene Glycol, Mica, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium 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. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel. While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns. Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source. This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the p