This product also contains Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid). It can be an effective active for anti-aging and evening out the skin tone, but in this product it is used for stabilizing other ingredients in the formulation. In this concentration (1.60% - 2.40%) it cannot have a noticeable benefit for the skin.
Adenosine 0.05% - 0.25%. It is a compound that in involved in many biological processes inside the skin cells. According one high-quality clinical trial, topical Adenosine in low concentrations can somewhat help improve "deep wrinkles" - the wrinkles that appear with age in places where our faces are most dynamic (for example, on the forehead or in the corners of the eyes).
An effective concentration of Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) - about 2.50% - 3.70%. Panthenol helps strengthen the skin barrier, improve hydration and reduce inflammation in skin.
Humectants (hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid 0.05% - 0.15%, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid 0.05% - 0.20%, sodium acetylated hyaluronate 0.05% - 0.20%, sodium hyaluronate 0.05% - 0.30% and panthenol 2.50% - 3.70%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.

Price

The product retails for 34.00CA$ in Canada, for 45.00A$ in Australia, for 34.95$ in the United States and for 26.29£ in the United Kingdom.

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What can the product work for?

Does not work for

Anti-blemish

Anti-aging

What does the product description say?

Dr.Althea’s Vitamin C Boosting Serum is a vegan, daily care vitamin C serum that helps to improve the skin tone and restore the skin’s natural glow.

Source: N/A

This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains adenosine.

These ingredients in the product can also be helpful, even though there is less evidence for their effectiveness: folic acid.

Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.

adenosine 0.05% - 0.25%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

Might help improve cell turnover and reduce inflammation in skin. One study shows that the ingredients might be able to help reduce dynamic wrinkles (for example, in the corners of the eyes or on the forehead)

folic acid 0.1% - 0.45%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

Can help stimulate collagen production in skin. While available studies are promising, more research is needed to confirm the efficacy in skin

3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid 3.6% - 5.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

A vitamin C derivative that is more stable but less potent than pure form of vitamin C. Can help neutralize free radicals and help reduce hyperpigmentation, but the required concentration is likely to be much higher than for the pure form of vitamin C, limiting the ingredient's effectiveness in products

Evens skin tone

What does the product description say?

Our 20% Boosting Complex contains Hyppophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract which contains more Than 3.2 times the Vitamin C of lemons and also contains 45,000ppm of skin brightening ingredients (3-O_Ethylascorbic Acid, D-Panthenol, Niacinamide) to suppress melanin pigmentation and improve skin blemishes.

Source: N/A

The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually works: 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid.

3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid 3.6% - 5.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

taurine 0.01% - 0.1%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

Could be helpful in reducing inflammation in skin, evening out the skin tone and neutralizing free radicals, but more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness

niacinamide 0.1% - 0.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Insufficient!

Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production

Moisturizing

This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium acetylated hyaluronate.

When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).

The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: panthenol

panthenol 2.5% - 3.7%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function

corallina officinalis extract 0.05% - 0.2%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: High

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

Red algae extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might contain antioxidants

pantothenic acid 0.85% - 1.3%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and may help reduce inflammation in skin

Anti-oxidation

This product contains antioxidants (3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid, pyridoxine) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.

3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid 3.6% - 5.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

pyridoxine 0.15% - 0.7%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

Might help neutralize free radicals in skin, but evidence of effectiveness in skin is lacking. It might be irritating

taurine 0.01% - 0.1%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

Could be helpful in reducing inflammation in skin, evening out the skin tone and neutralizing free radicals, but more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness

Anti-blemish

This product contains ingredients (pantothenic acid) that could help reduce blemishes and clogged pores in theory, but there is not enough evidence that they actually work.

pantothenic acid 0.85% - 1.3%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and may help reduce inflammation in skin

taurine 0.01% - 0.1%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

Could be helpful in reducing inflammation in skin, evening out the skin tone and neutralizing free radicals, but more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness

melia azadirachta leaf extract 0.05% - 0.15%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

A plant extract that has anti-bacterial properties. Can be used to preserve the product. Can be irritating

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Ingredients & concentrations

All ingredients

Key Actives

tocopherol 1.3% - 1.9%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation, Anti-aging, Anti-inflammatory, Moisturizing

Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself

niacin 1.1% - 1.6%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Moisturizing, Anti-aging, Anti-blemish, Evens skin tone

A form of vitamin B3. It is similar in action to niacinamide, but is more likely to cause red flashes in skin as the side effect

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Potential irritants

3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid 3.6% - 5.4%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation, Evens skin tone, Anti-aging

ascorbic acid 1.6% - 2.4%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation, Evens skin tone, Anti-aging

The most well-researched antioxidant that works in skin. Helps neutralize free radicals supporting collagen production, helping to even out the skin tone and preventing early signs of aging

Comodogenic ingredients

corallina officinalis extract 0.05% - 0.2%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: High

Works for: Moisturizing, Anti-oxidation

Red algae extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and might contain antioxidants

All ingredients

water 40% - 60%

Irritation risk:

Plain old water

hippophae rhamnoides fruit extract 3.6% - 5.4%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation

A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals in skin, but research on its effectiveness is lacking

3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid 3.6% - 5.4%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation, Evens skin tone, Anti-aging

Ingredient list view

Water, Hippophae rhamnoides fruit extract, 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid, Panthenol, 1,2-hexanediol, Ascorbic acid, Tocopherol, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Thiamine hcl, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine, Folic acid, Biotin, Butylene glycol, Niacinamide, Dipropylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 laurate, Sodium hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, Sodium acetylated hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, Hyaluronic acid, Sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, Potassium hyaluronate, 1,2-hexanediol, Dipotassium glycyrrhizate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Xanthan gum, Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium edta, Citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil, Melia azadirachta leaf extract, Melia azadirachta flower extract, Coccinia indica fruit extract, Solanum melongena fruit extract, Ocimum sanctum leaf extract, Curcuma longa root extract, Corallina officinalis extract, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, Taurine, Limonene

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Price
WIMJ similarity score		80%	85%	80%	79%	75%	74%	74%	74%	73%	73%	73%
Key ingredients	ascorbic acid adenosine +16 more	Common: ascorbic acid adenosine +4 more Other: niacinamide acetyl glucosamine +9 more	Common: ascorbic acid adenosine +3 more Other: acetyl glucosamine squalane +5 more	Common: ascorbic acid ascorbic acid +11 more Other: niacinamide niacinamide +19 more	Common: ascorbic acid 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid +6 more Other: niacinamide ferulic acid +2 more	Common: ascorbic acid adenosine +4 more Other: niacinamide ferulic acid +8 more	Common: ascorbic acid panthenol +2 more Other: ferulic acid glutathione +5 more	Common: ascorbic acid panthenol +2 more Other: ferulic acid glycerin +2 more	Common: ascorbic acid adenosine +2 more Other: ferulic acid glutathione +4 more	Common: ascorbic acid panthenol +1 more Other: allantoin arginine +1 more	Common: ascorbic acid panthenol +1 more Other: ferulic acid avena sativa kernel extract	Common: ascorbic acid adenosine +1 more Other: betaine hydroxyethyl urea +1 more
Irritancy	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY MEDIUM
Potential Irritants	limonene Has skin benefit? curcuma longa root extract Has skin benefit? +20 more	alcohol denat. Has skin benefit? gardenia florida fruit extract Has skin benefit? +8 more	gardenia florida fruit extract Has skin benefit? 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +7 more	citrus paradisi fruit extract Has skin benefit? citrus aurantium dulcis fruit extract Has skin benefit? +32 more	gardenia florida fruit extract Has skin benefit? 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +5 more	glyceryl oleate Has skin benefit? centaurea cyanus flower extract Has skin benefit? +14 more	pullulan Has skin benefit? chamomilla recutita flower extract Has skin benefit? +6 more	scutellaria baicalensis root extract Has skin benefit? paeonia suffruticosa root extract Has skin benefit? +9 more	taraxacum officinale extract Has skin benefit? chamomilla recutita flower extract Has skin benefit? +10 more	ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? aloe barbadensis leaf juice Has skin benefit? +2 more	ascorbic acid Has skin benefit?	gardenia florida fruit extract Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +3 more
All ingredients	water Has skin benefit? hippophae rhamnoides fruit extract Has skin benefit? +47 more	water Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +32 more	water Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +23 more	malva sylvestris flower extract Has skin benefit? lactococcus ferment lysate Has skin benefit? +89 more	water Has skin benefit? propanediol Has skin benefit? +24 more	water Has skin benefit? propanediol Has skin benefit? +41 more	water Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +21 more	citrus junos peel water Has skin benefit? water Has skin benefit? +24 more	water Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +23 more	water Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +8 more	water Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +6 more	water Has skin benefit? ascorbic acid Has skin benefit? +15 more

PRODUCT REVIEW

Dr.Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum

Works for:

Doesn't work for:

Can it cause trouble?

Key actives

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Product summary

Ingredient callouts

Price

What can the product work for?

Works for

Does not work for

Anti-aging

What does the product description say?

Evens skin tone

What does the product description say?

Moisturizing

Anti-oxidation

Anti-blemish

Honesty check

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All ingredients

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