C-Defense MD C+Skin Concentrate
The Mediderma C-Defense MD C+Skin Concentrate is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 40 ingredients (28 low-risk) rates it Excellent (92/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
The Mediderma C-Defense MD C+Skin Concentrate is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 40 ingredients (28 low-risk) rates it Excellent (92/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
Dry Skin
4/8
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin
1/0
Sensitive Skin
5/16
| 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
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
3
|
B
|
Propylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Humectant, Skin Conditioningagent Miscellaneous, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
1
|
|
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
|
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
(Opacifying) |
|
|
3
|
B
|
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
(Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Perfuming) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
|
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
|
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
(Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
2
|
|
Alcohol
(Antifoaming Agent, Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling) |
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
3
|
A
|
Benzoic Acid
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Preservative, Bulking Agent, Masking) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
6
|
A
|
BHT
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Masking) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Caprylyl Glycol
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Humectant) |
|
|
1
|
|
CI 15985
(Cosmetic Colorant) |
|
7
|
|
Citral
(Flavoring Agent, Fragrance, Masking) |
Allergens
|
|
1
|
|
Citronellyl Methylcrotonate
(Fragrance, Masking, Perfuming) |
|
|
6
|
|
Limonene
(Deodorant, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Allergens
|
|
1
|
A
|
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
(Chelating Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
5
|
|
Linalool
(Fragrance, Deodorant, Masking) |
Allergens
|
|
1
|
|
Morus Alba Root Extract
(Bleaching, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
|
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
PARFUM
(Fragrance, Perfuming) |
|
|
4
|
A
|
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
|
|
1
|
A
|
Phosphatidylcholine
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
|
|
3
|
B
|
Polysorbate 20
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
3
|
A
|
Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
|
|
1
|
|
Quercetin
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Retinyl Palmitate
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Miscellaneous) |
|
|
1
|
|
Sodium Chloride
(Bulking Agent, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Sodium Cholate
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
3
|
B
|
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
|
|
|
|
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
3
|
|
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
|
|
5
|
B
|
Triethanolamine
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Triethyl Citrate
(Fragrance, Plasticizer, Antioxidant, Deodorant, Masking, Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
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 →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinyl Palmitate
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.
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
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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