obagi Professional-C™ Serum 20%
obagi Obagi Professional-C™ Serum 20% lists 12 ingredients on its label, 10 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
Highlights
Free of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains alcoholContains PEGContains EU-26 allergensContains fragrance
Formulation view High-strength ascorbic acid with alcohol for rapid absorption, paired with zinc salts and hyaluronic acid. Oil-free, fast-drying texture. Suitable for tolerant skin requiring intense antioxidant support. Factory perspective: the combination of strong acid and alcohol demands exceptional raw material purity to prevent instability and odor degradation.
Key ingredients
- HUMECTANT
- Propylene GlycolEthoxydiglycolSorbitolSodium Hyaluronate
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- ANTIFOAMING
- Alcohol
- ANTIOXIDANT
- Ascorbyl Glucoside
- ANTIMICROBIAL
- Phenoxyethanol
Other ingredients
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propylene Glycol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| L-Ascorbic Acid | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Alcohol | ANTIFOAMING, ANTIMICROBIAL, ASTRINGENT, FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Ascorbyl Glucoside | ANTIOXIDANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ethoxydiglycol | HUMECTANT, SOLVENT, PERFUMING · 限制 III/297 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Sorbitol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, PERFUMING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hyaluronate | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Zinc Chloride | ANTIMICROBIAL, ASTRINGENT, ORAL CARE, SOOTHING · 限制 III/24 | 2 · 0 | Yellow |
| Calcium Hydroxide | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Fragrance | 矫味剂,增香剂 | — | Yellow |
Ingredients explained
- Propylene Glycol
- Polyol humectant at 3-10%; hygroscopic, slight tackiness, mild irritation at high conc., verify preservative efficacy, no allergen.
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- L-Ascorbic Acid
- Not decoded yet
- Alcohol
- Ethanol for solubility/drying at 5-15%; high conc. is drying/irritating, avoid lip/eye, low residue, balance with humectants.
- Ascorbyl Glucoside
- Stable Vitamin C derivative, antioxidant; more stable than pure ascorbic acid, releases activity slowly in neutral/basic conditions.
- Ethoxydiglycol
- Ethoxydiglycol; high-perf solv/humectant; low irrit, EU limit 20%, watch total PEG load
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Sorbitol
- Polyol humectant with strong hygroscopy; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives; also a solvent or adjuster.
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Potent humectant at 0.1–2%; different MW for penetration depth, high levels may draw moisture
- Zinc Chloride
- Antimicrobial astringent for oral care; usage levels are restricted.
- Calcium Hydroxide
- Not decoded yet
- Fragrance
- Fragrance; concentration must control allergen risk, label specific components
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-18. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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