Educated Mess Golden Hour Vitamin C Serum Versus Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum

Educated Mess Golden Hour Vitamin C Serum Versus Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around Glutathione and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Gold

Glutathione

Ascorbic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Acer Saccharum Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract

Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Lactic Acid

Glycolic Acid

Malic Acid

Tartaric Acid

Citric Acid

Sorbitol

Panthenol

Allantoin

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Hydroxide

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Propanediol

Glyceryl Caprylate

Hydroxyacetophenone

1,2-Hexanediol

Titanium Dioxide

Vp/Va Copolymer

Mica

Water, Glycerin, Gold, Glutathione, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, Sorbitol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Propanediol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Titanium Dioxide, Vp/Va Copolymer, Mica

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Squalane

Sodium Citrate

Phenoxyethanol

Diheptyl Succinate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Orchis Mascula Flower Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cananga Odorata Flower Extract

Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract

Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract

Glycine Soja Oil

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract

Rosa Gallica Flower Extract

Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract

Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract

Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Amyl Cinnamal

Cinnamyl Alcohol

Citronellol

Eugenol

Hydroxycitronellal

Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Diheptyl Succinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Amyl Cinnamal, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Eugenol, Hydroxycitronellal

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

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 why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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