Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum Versus The INKEY List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer

Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum Versus The INKEY List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer Detailed comparison of Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum versus The INKEY List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer. This brightening serum is

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Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum Versus The INKEY List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer Detailed comparison of Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum versus The INKEY List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer. This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Glycolic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture. This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin. Water Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Squalane Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate PEG-8 Beeswax PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer Glycine Soja Sterols Sodium Phytate Tocopherol Acetamidoethoxyethanol Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Jojoba Esters Glycolic Acid Caprylyl Glycol Cetyl Alcohol Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax Chlorphenesin Glycerin Polysorbate 60 Sorbitan Isostearate Saccharide Isomerate Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil Linalool Limonene Phenoxyethanol Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, PEG-8 Beeswax, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Glycine Soja Sterols, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Acetamidoethoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Glycolic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Chlorphenesin, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol Glyceryl Stearate Se Cetearyl Alcohol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cocos Nucifera Oil Stearic Acid Benzyl Alcohol Carbomer Sodium Hydroxide Niacinamide Panthenol Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Sodium Hyaluronate Tocopheryl Acetate Ethylhexylglycerin Dehydroacetic Acid Lecithin Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Ascorbyl Palmitate Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lecithin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 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. 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 reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive. Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10). You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own. Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU. Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages. Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon. 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-bin