Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum Versus The INKEY List Q10 Serum

Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum Versus The INKEY List Q10 Serum Detailed comparison of Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum versus The INKEY List Q10 Serum. This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol to brighten dull-looking skin and s

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Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum Versus The INKEY List Q10 Serum Detailed comparison of Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum versus The INKEY List Q10 Serum. This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Ubiquinone to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. Water Ascorbic Acid Alcohol Denat. Dipropylene Glycol Glycerin Laureth-23 Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone Sodium Hydroxide Tocopherol Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid Pinus Pinaster Bark/Bud Extract Water, Ascorbic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Laureth-23, Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Pinus Pinaster Bark/Bud Extract Butylene Glycol Propanediol Dicaprylyl Carbonate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Dimethicone Phenoxyethanol Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Caprylyl Glycol Squalane Phospholipids Lecithin Glycine Soja Oil Carbomer Polysorbate 60 Tocopheryl Acetate Ubiquinone Sodium Phytate Glycolipids Sorbitan Isostearate Glycine Soja Sterols Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Hyaluronic Acid Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Squalane, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Oil, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycine Soja Sterols, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate Be the first to review 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. Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective. In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline. Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated. "Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic. 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-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks. This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage. This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there. In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading. Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products. Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product. So