Dermage vs Sallve — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
Sérum Antiacne
8.7/10 · Sallve
| Improve C 20 Sérum Antioxidante | Sérum Antiacne | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Dermage | Sallve |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Editor Rating | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 ★ |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Texture | Silicone-based fluid serum with a silky slip | Watery clarifying serum |
| Finish | Velvety matte, primes beautifully | Mattifying |
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| Verdict | Dermage is the Brazilian derm brand that dermatologists actually prescribe — the kind of brand where formulation decisions are made by PhDs, not marketing teams. Improve C 20 is their 20% pure ascorbic acid serum, and it takes a radically different approach from the water-based vitamin C serums that dominate the global market. The vehicle is anhydrous silicone — cyclomethicone and cyclopentasiloxane form the base, which means the ascorbic acid is suspended in a non-aqueous system where it's inherently more stable than in water. No water = no oxidation pathway = no turning orange in three weeks. The tradeoff is texture: this feels like a silicone primer, not a traditional serum. It glides on with a velvety slip, dries matte, and actually works as a makeup primer — which Brazilian women, who layer SPF religiously in tropical sun, appreciate enormously. The 20% concentration is clinical-grade, matching the gold-standard studies that proved vitamin C's photoprotective benefits. At R$170 (~€35), it's not cheap by Brazilian standards, but for a 20% L-ascorbic acid serum with genuine stability engineering, it's a fraction of what SkinCeuticals charges for the same active. | Sallve is Brazil's leading clean-actives indie brand and the Sérum Antiacne is their acne workhorse. 2% salicylic acid, niacinamide, tea tree leaf oil, willow bark extract for natural BHA support, plus buchu (Barosma Betulina) — a South American botanical that's uncommon outside Brazil. Alcohol-free, fragrance-free formula. |
