Vitamin C Boosting Serum
A serum from Dr. Althea's Korean-market lineup, built around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide, 30ml to a unit.
No reviews yet30 ml
$70.57 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Dry skinCompromised barrierDehydrated skinSensitive skin
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid in a serumRoutines that want 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid serum sold on Korean shelves
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
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- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
Key benefits
- 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, the antioxidant this serum is built around
- Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Adenosine and Alpha-Arbutin on the same list, actives
- Bisabolol and Bifida Ferment Lysate further down the same list
- Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol further down the same list
- 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid named twenty-third on the manufacturer list printed on this page
- The Korean-market release of this serum, confirmed against its Korean barcode
Key actives
3Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is named third on this serum's list, alongside 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid.
11Tranexamic Acidactive
Tranexamic Acid is a synthetic amino acid derivative used for the look of stubborn discolouration and post-blemish marks. It is water soluble, stable and comfortable next to niacinamide, which is how it is usually paired. The panel names it eleventh on this serum's list, beside 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid.
233-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acidantioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a stable vitamin C derivative that skin converts to ascorbic acid. It survives in a formula far better than pure vitamin C and works at a gentler pH, so it suits skin that finds the pure acid uncomfortable. The name on the box points at it, and it is named twenty-third on this serum's own ingredient list.
30Adenosineactive
Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated. It is named thirtieth on this serum's list, alongside 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid.
37Alpha-Arbutinactive
Alpha-Arbutin is a plant-derived compound, related to the sugar-bound form found in bearberry, used for the look of dark spots and uneven tone. It is stable in water and works at skin-friendly pH. The panel names it thirty-seventh on this serum's list, beside 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 3Niacinamide
- 11Tranexamic Acid
- 233-O-Ethyl Ascorbic
- 30Adenosine
- 37Alpha-Arbutin
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and not three changes at once.
Is this the Korean-market serum or a US version?
The Korean-market one, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and all. We match this serum to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.
What else is on the list besides 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid?
Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid and Adenosine. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Alpha-Arbutin, Bisabolol and Bifida Ferment Lysate.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (43): Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Water, Methyl Gluceth-20, Methylpropanediol, Betaine, Tranexamic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, C12-14 Pareth-12, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Alpha-Arbutin, Tocopherol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Bisabolol, Ubiquinone, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
43 of 43 explained
- Hippophae Rhamnoides Water plant extract
- Hippophae Rhamnoides is sea buckthorn. Its water is used in place of plain water as a base and carries traces of the fruit's vitamins.
- Centella Asiatica Leaf Water plant extract
- Centella Asiatica Leaf Water is the distilled water of the centella leaf, used in place of plain water as a formula base. It is far more dilute than the extract, so it sets the base rather than supplying the actives.
- Niacinamide active
- Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Dipropylene Glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Methyl Gluceth-20 humectant
- Methyl Gluceth-20 is a sugar-derived humectant. It holds water in the outer layer of skin and gives a smooth, cushioned slip that plain glycerin does not.
- Methylpropanediol humectant
- Methylpropanediol is a small glycol used to hydrate and to help water-soluble actives penetrate the outer layer of skin more evenly. It leaves almost no tack, which suits watery textures.
- Betaine humectant
- Betaine is a sugar-beet-derived humectant that cells use to hold water. In a formula it hydrates and takes the edge off cleansers and acids, which is why it often appears alongside them.
- Tranexamic Acid active
- Tranexamic Acid is a synthetic amino acid derivative used for the look of stubborn discolouration and post-blemish marks. It is water soluble, stable and comfortable next to niacinamide, which is how it is usually paired.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
31 more explained
- Pentylene Glycol humectant
- Pentylene Glycol hydrates and, like the other longer-chain glycols, makes a formula less hospitable to microbes so the preservative system can be lighter. It also improves how evenly a product spreads.
- Propanediol humectant
- Propanediol is a plant-derived glycol used in place of propylene glycol. It hydrates, carries actives into solution, and gives a lighter, less sticky slip than glycerin at the same strength.
- Hydroxyethyl Urea humectant
- Hydroxyethyl Urea is a humectant that holds a lot of water for its size and stays comfortable at high levels. It is used where a formula needs to feel deeply hydrating without oil.
- Laminaria Japonica Extract plant extract
- Laminaria Japonica is kombu kelp. Its extract carries alginates, minerals and iodine, and it is used as a hydrating, mineral-rich ingredient.
- Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract plant extract
- Eclipta Prostrata is false daisy, long used in Ayurvedic and East Asian practice. Its extract is used as a conditioning plant extract, most often in scalp and hair formulas.
- Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract plant extract
- Fig Fruit Extract carries fruit sugars, mild acids and a protein-digesting enzyme. It is used as a hydrating extract with a light smoothing effect.
- Centella Asiatica Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- Hydrogenated Lecithin emulsifier
- Hydrogenated Lecithin is lecithin with its unsaturated bonds filled in, which makes it far more stable. It emulsifies and is the standard shell for the liposomes that carry actives into the outer layer of skin.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- Carbomer thickener
- Carbomer is a synthetic polymer that only gels once a base neutralises it, which is why arginine or tromethamine sits nearby on the list. It gives the clear, non-stringy gel texture a xanthan formula cannot reach.
- 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid antioxidant
- 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a stable vitamin C derivative that skin converts to ascorbic acid. It survives in a formula far better than pure vitamin C and works at a gentler pH, so it suits skin that finds the pure acid uncomfortable.
- C12-14 Pareth-12 emulsifier
- C12-14 Pareth-12 is a solubiliser that keeps oils and fragrance in solution so a clear formula stays clear.
- Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer thickener
- This is a synthetic thickener that gels quickly and holds an emulsion stable across a wide pH range. It gives a light, non-tacky body.
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Tromethamine pH adjuster
- Tromethamine neutralises acidic thickeners such as carbomer so they gel, and holds a formula near skin-friendly pH. It is used at a fraction of a percent.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
- Adenosine active
- Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated.
- Disodium EDTA chelator
- EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
- Fructooligosaccharides humectant
- Fructooligosaccharides are short fructose chains used as humectants and as food for the skin's own resident microbes.
- Beta-Glucan polysaccharide
- Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide from oats or yeast. It holds a large amount of water, forms a soothing film, and is one of the ingredients formulators reach for in products aimed at reactive skin.
- Ascorbic Acid antioxidant
- Ascorbic Acid is pure vitamin C, the most researched form and also the least stable: it needs a low pH and airtight packaging to stay active. It is an antioxidant used for the look of dullness and uneven tone.
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- Ceramide NP barrier lipid
- Ceramide NP is the most used cosmetic ceramide, the same class of lipid that makes up roughly half the mortar between cells in the outer layer of skin. Added to a cream it slots into that structure, which is why ceramide formulas feel less leaky rather than merely greasy.
- Alpha-Arbutin active
- Alpha-Arbutin is a plant-derived compound, related to the sugar-bound form found in bearberry, used for the look of dark spots and uneven tone. It is stable in water and works at skin-friendly pH.
- Tocopherol antioxidant
- Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
- Bifida Ferment Lysate ferment
- Bifida Ferment Lysate is a bifidobacteria ferment with the cells broken open. It is the ingredient behind the first-essence category and is used for the look of tired, reactive skin.
- Bisabolol active
- Bisabolol is the main active fraction of chamomile oil, usually supplied from candeia wood. It is used for the look of redness in formulas for reactive skin, and it helps other ingredients absorb.
- Ubiquinone antioxidant
- Ubiquinone is coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant every cell uses in its own energy production. In a formula it is oil soluble, faintly yellow, and used for the look of tired, dull skin.
- Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone antioxidant
- Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone is idebenone, a synthetic relative of coenzyme Q10 made to be more stable and more soluble than the natural molecule.
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid modified to be part oil-loving, so it clings to skin instead of rinsing away. Formulators call it the one that stays put.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809447255385
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 30 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule / Brightening vitamin C serum
- Actives
- Adenosine, Arbutin, Beta-Glucan, Bisabolol, Centella Asiatica, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sea Buckthorn, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tranexamic Acid, Urea, Vitamin C
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
How it works
The Vitamin C Boosting Serum (Renew) is a 30ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The antioxidant it is built around is 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, named twenty-third on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid and Adenosine, so the antioxidant is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. This is the Original Korean Formula, the serum Dr.Althea sells in Korea, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and all.
How to use
- Use the Vitamin C Boosting Serum (Renew) after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening.
- Three or four drops covers the whole face. Press it in with flat palms instead of rubbing it around.
- Toner first so the surface is damp, then this, then about a minute before your moisturizer goes over the top.
- Twice a day, every day. Do not stack it with a second serum of the same kind; two hydrating serums in one routine do the work of one.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid on the list.
- Introduce this serum on its own for the first week, so anything your skin does is traceable to the 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid rather than to three changes at once.
Complete the routine
- This itemDr.Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum$21.17
- Seal the routine in as the last stepDr. Althea Aqua Marine Watery Cream$15.29
- Prep after cleansing, before the treatment stepDr. Althea 345 Relief Cream Mist$14.99
Total for 3 items$51.45
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Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum
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Dr.Althea, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from Dr.Althea, 30ml formulated with 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide, shipped from California or direct from Korea.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Using topical vitamin C can result in less cell damage and better-looking skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Topical tranexamic acid 5% cream is under investigation in the treatment of melasma and is showing promising results in the treatment of epidermal-type melasma.
Faisal R AliConsultant Dermatologist, DermNet NZ
1 more professional perspective
Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic
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