Clarins Vital Light Serum

Clarins

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Clarins Vital Light Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 20 ingredients (14 low-risk) rates it Excellent (93/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Serums, Essence, Ampoules
Ingredients
20
Low-risk
14
Fragrance
Contains fragrance
Origin
France

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 5/2
Good for dry skin
Methyl Gluceth-20 Butylene Glycol Sodium Hyaluronate Glycerin Sodium Polyacrylate
Caution for dry skin
Glycerin Sodium Polyacrylate
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 1/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Sensitive Skin 3/7
Good for sensitive skin
Cedrelopsis Grevei Bark Extract Glycerin Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Caution for sensitive skin
Butylene Glycol Glycerin Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Citric Acid Sodium Benzoate Phenoxyethanol Fragrance

Ingredients list

20 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (8)
All20 Skin Conditioning14 Fragrance6 Humectant5 Masking5 Solvent3 Buffering Agent2 Ph Adjuster2 Preservative2
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Methyl Gluceth-20
(Humectant, Moisturising)
1
A
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
3
B
Sodium Polyacrylate
(Absorbent, Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Hair Fixing, Skin Conditioning Agent Emollient, Viscosity Controlling Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Skin Conditioning)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
Hexylresorcinol
(Antimicrobial Agent, Cosmetic Biocide)
1
A
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
8
Fragrance
(Deodorant, Masking, Perfuming)
1
A
Biosaccharide Gum-1
(Skin Conditioning)
Atractyloides Lancea Root Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
2
A
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Fumaria Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
Spergularia Rubra Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Cedrelopsis Grevei Bark Extract
(Skin Protecting)
1
Tiliroside
(Skin Conditioning)
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
1
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
(Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Skin Conditioning, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Red 4 Lake

My Ingredient Notes

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Key ingredients

Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant, Moisturising
Butylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning, Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning, Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Skin Conditioning

Benefits

Good for dry skin
Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Fragrance — higher EWG
May not suit sensitive skin

EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant, Moisturising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A HumectantMoisturising
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B AbsorbentEmulsion stabilisingFilm formingHair fixingSkin-conditioning agent -emollientViscosity controlling agentViscosity increasing agentBindingSkin conditioning
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial agent, Cosmetic biocide
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Antimicrobial agentCosmetic biocide
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioning
Atractyloides Lancea Root Extract
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Fumaria Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Spergularia Rubra Extract
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Cedrelopsis Grevei Bark Extract
Skin protecting
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin protecting
Tiliroside
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A FragrancePreservativeAnticorrosiveMasking
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Red 4 Lake
Other
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Butylene Glycol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSkin conditioningSolventViscositydecreasing agentHumectantMaskingViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin conditioning, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningHumectant Good for Dry Skin
Fragrance
Deodorant, Masking
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 8 DeodorantMaskingPerfuming
Citric Acid
Chelating agent, Fragrance
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Chelating agentFragrancePh adjusterBuffering agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Antioxidant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A AntioxidantFragrancePh adjusterSkin conditioningBuffering agentMasking Good for Dry Skin

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply after toner and before moisturiser — thinnest to thickest.
  • 2 Morning works well: Antioxidants like vitamin C pair well with daytime use under sunscreen.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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