Guide: Every Ingredient in SKINØ Vitamin C Serum 30 ml

SKINØ Vitamin C Serum 30 ml is an ECOCERT COSMOS NATURAL-certified serum in which the vitamin C comes from Ascorbyl Glucoside and Ascorbyl Palmitate. It is combined with 1% ferulic acid, 1% sea buckthorn oil, hyaluronic acid and plant oils such as jojoba, sweet almond, avocado and rosehip. The pH is 6.5–6.8.

This guide goes through the full INCI list in the same order as on the packaging, what each ingredient does in the formula, and who should take extra care.

Quick Facts About SKINØ Vitamin C Serum

Volume	30 ml
Certification	ECOCERT, COSMOS NATURAL
Labelling	Vegan Friendly, Gluten Free
pH	6.5–6.8 (manufacturer's safety data sheet NP5857)
Texture	Yellow, medium-thick emulsion
Scent	Mandarin with soft floral and citrus notes (contains fragrance)
Skin types	All skin types, mature skin
Focus	More even skin tone, radiance, dry and dull skin
Manufacturing	GMP (EN ISO 22716:2007), EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009

Full INCI List (in Packaging Order)

Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium PCA, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ferulic Acid, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isoamyl Laurate, Triheptanoin, Potassium Hydroxide, Parfum/Fragrance, Prunus Amygdalus (Sweet Almond) Dulcis Oil, Cellulose, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Citronellol***

* Ingredients from organic farming. ** Made using organic ingredients. *** From natural essential oils.

How to Read an INCI List

Ingredients present at more than 1% must be listed in descending order of concentration. Those below 1% may be listed in any order. The list therefore shows what dominates the formula, but not exact percentages. That is why the product information stating 1% ferulic acid and 1% sea buckthorn oil is so useful: it gives you an anchor point in the list.

Which Form of Vitamin C Does the Serum Contain?

The serum uses two stabilised forms of vitamin C: water-soluble Ascorbyl Glucoside and oil-soluble Ascorbyl Palmitate. Ascorbyl Glucoside is listed before ferulic acid (1%), which under INCI rules means its concentration is at least at the same level.

Why pH 6.5–6.8?

The classic requirement of a pH below 3.5 applies to pure L-ascorbic acid, which needs an acidic pH to be absorbed by the skin. Derivatives such as Ascorbyl Glucoside do not follow that rule, so the serum does not need an acidic formula. The skin's own pH is usually around 4.5–5.5, so 6.5–6.8 is a formulation trade-off for the derivatives, not a skin-matched value in itself. Derivatives are more stable but need to be converted in the skin to work as vitamin C. In other words, you trade some direct effect for stability.

Ingredient by Ingredient

Base and Hydration

• Aqua/Water: solvent and base.
• Glycerin: a humectant that binds water in the skin's surface layer.
• Pentylene Glycol and Butylene Glycol: moisture-binding solvents that improve the feel and spreadability.
• Sodium PCA: a component of the skin's natural moisturising factor (NMF) that binds water.
• Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate: hyaluronic acid in different molecular sizes that binds moisture and leaves skin feeling soft.

Vitamin C and Antioxidants

• Ascorbyl Glucoside: a water-soluble, stabilised form of vitamin C and the serum's main vitamin C source.
• Ascorbyl Palmitate: an oil-soluble form of vitamin C that also acts as an antioxidant in the oil phase.
• Ferulic Acid (1%): a plant-based antioxidant.
• Tocopherol: vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects the oils in the formula.

Oils and Emollients

• Jojoba Seed Oil: a plant oil whose structure resembles the skin's own sebum; softening.
• Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil (1%): rich in fatty acids and natural carotenoids, which also give the serum its yellow colour.
• Sweet Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Rosehip Fruit Oil, Castor Seed Oil: nourishing plant oils that soften the skin and add a healthy glow.
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isoamyl Laurate, Triheptanoin: light emollients for a soft, non-sticky finish.

Texture and Emulsion

• Cetearyl Alcohol: a fatty alcohol that stabilises the emulsion and softens the skin. It is not drying like denatured alcohol.
• Glyceryl Stearate Citrate: an emulsifier that holds the oil and water phases together.
• Cellulose and Xanthan Gum: thickeners that give the serum its medium-thick texture.

pH and Stability

• Potassium Hydroxide: pH adjuster.
• Sodium Citrate and Citric Acid: buffers that help keep the pH stable.
• Sodium Phytate: a chelating agent that binds metal ions and helps keep the formula stable.

Fragrance and Allergens

• Parfum/Fragrance: gives the serum its mandarin scent.
• Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Citronellol: fragrance components from natural essential oils that must be declared separately under EU law because they can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people.

What the Serum Does Not Contain

Based on the INCI list, the serum contains no parabens, no silicones, no mineral oil, no sulfates, no denatured alcohol and no PEG compounds.

Fragrance, Allergens and Sensitive Skin

The serum contains fragrance and four declared fragrance allergens (Limonene, Citral, Linalool and Citronellol), as well as sweet almond oil, which is nut-derived. If you have a fragrance allergy, nut allergy or very reactive skin, skip the serum or patch test first. Apply a small amount to the inside of your forearm and wait 24–48 hours before using it on your face. According to the manufacturer's safety data sheet (NP5857), the product is not classified as irritating to skin or eyes, but that does not replace your own patch test.

How to Use the Serum

According to the product information, apply the serum to clean skin. It fits into your routine after cleansing and before moisturiser:

1. Cleanse your skin.
2. Apply the serum to your face and neck.
3. Follow with moisturiser.
4. In the morning, finish with sunscreen as the last step.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, not a UV filter, and never replaces sunscreen. Introduce the serum as the only new step and give your skin at least a week before adding anything else. Keep the bottle tightly closed at room temperature.

Want to learn more? Find more guides on ingredients, certifications and skincare routines in the SKINØ Journal, for example our guide to the best natural ingredients for hyperpigmentation.

Certifications and Manufacturing

• ECOCERT COSMOS NATURAL: certified natural cosmetics. Note that COSMOS NATURAL is a different level from COSMOS ORGANIC.
• GMP, EN ISO 22716:2007: the manufacturing standard for cosmetics.
• EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009: the product has a safety assessment under the regulation and is notified in the EU cosmetics portal (CPNP).
• Vegan Friendly and Gluten Free: as labelled on the serum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which form of vitamin C does SKINØ Vitamin C Serum contain?

The serum contains Ascorbyl Glucoside and Ascorbyl Palmitate, two stabilised forms of vitamin C. Ascorbyl Glucoside is water-soluble and Ascorbyl Palmitate is oil-soluble.

Why is the pH 6.5–6.8?

The requirement for a pH below 3.5 applies to pure L-ascorbic acid. Stabilised derivatives such as Ascorbyl Glucoside do not have that requirement, so the serum does not need to be as acidic. The skin's own pH is usually around 4.5–5.5, so 6.5–6.8 is a formulation trade-off for the derivatives.

Is the serum suitable for sensitive skin?

It is labelled for all skin types, but it contains fragrance, four declared fragrance allergens and sweet almond oil. Always patch test first if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin.

Can I use the serum with sunscreen?

Yes. Apply the serum to clean skin, follow with moisturiser and, in the morning, sunscreen as the last step. Vitamin C is not a UV filter and never replaces sunscreen.

Can the serum help with dark spots?

The serum is formulated for a more even skin tone and to help reduce the look of dark spots. Results vary between individuals, and daily sunscreen is essential to keep pigmentation from getting worse. If you notice new or changing spots, see a doctor.

Is the serum vegan and gluten-free?

The serum is labelled Vegan Friendly and Gluten Free.

Sources and Last Updated

• Product information and INCI list, SKINØ Vitamin C Serum 30 ml.
• Safety data sheet NP5857 (manufacturer SIA NORD Beauty, issued 07.08.2023).
• Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products.
• Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 laying down common criteria for the justification of claims used in relation to cosmetic products.

Last updated: 12 October 2026.

The SKINØ Promise: All Products

• ECOCERT COSMOS-certified formulas
• Notified in the EU CPNP (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009)
• Manufactured to the GMP standard EN ISO 22716:2007
• 100% vegan; animal testing of cosmetics is banned across the EU
• Paraben-free
• Full INCI list on every product, with no hidden ingredients

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