Product record / Serums, vitamin-c-derivatives

Serum

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F

Serum · 30 mL · tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (thd) is the #2 ingredient at a disclosed 20% on an anhydrous oil base — the oil-soluble vitamin c derivative (incidecoder-verified)

$20.50
retail price: 20%
vitamin-c-derivatives: $0.68
per mL

Data source: Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is the #2 ingredient at a disclosed 20% on an anhydrous oil base — the oil-soluble vitamin C derivative (INCIDecoder-verified) Specific vitamin C derivative verified as a lead ingredient via INCIDecoder 2026-06-14; ASIN B0728GYDMG price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F bottle — Pictured: Amazon listing

Best for: Brightening & dark spots
How it feels: Lightweight, fast-absorbing serum
Value: $20.50 for 30 mL · $0.68/mL

Bottom line The oil-soluble vitamin C (THD) at a high 20% — but it's a formula-dependent derivative, so the base around it matters as much as the number.

Editorial verdict / Social intelligence

Qualified yes Product review

The oil-soluble vitamin C (THD) at a high 20% — but it's a formula-dependent derivative, so the base around it matters as much as the number. ¹

Beauty benefit: An anhydrous, oil-based 20% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD, also called ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate) serum on a lightweight coconut-alkane and jojoba base — the oil-soluble vitamin C derivative, which suits the skin's lipids and feels silky rather than acidic.
Does it work: Qualified yes. THD is a genuinely useful oil-soluble vitamin C precursor — comfortable, non-stinging, and a good option for dry or sensitive skin that can't take a water-based acid serum — and here it's at a high, disclosed 20% in a clean lipid base. The honest part: research shows THD on its own is a poor antioxidant that degrades quickly under the oxidative conditions of real skin unless it's well formulated and stabilized, so a THD serum is only as good as the formula around it, and the human evidence base is thinner than for pure vitamin C. Treat it as a gentle, elegant derivative option — not a guaranteed upgrade over L-ascorbic acid. Vegan. See the verified data below →

Consensus strength

Moderate

Vitamin C derivatives are well-regarded as the stabler, lower-irritation way to get vitamin C benefits, and specific members have solid evidence (SAP for acne, ascorbyl glucoside for stability + in-skin conversion). The shared caveat is that most are pro-drugs that must convert to ascorbic acid, the clinical evidence for topical vitamin C formulations overall remains limited, and potency varies a lot by which derivative and formula.

01 / The key active

vitamin-c-derivatives at 20%

This product discloses 20% vitamin-c-derivatives — tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (thd) is the #2 ingredient at a disclosed 20% on an anhydrous oil base — the oil-soluble vitamin c derivative (incidecoder-verified).

Primary active

vitamin-c-derivatives

20%

Read the vitamin-c-derivatives dossier →

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is the #2 ingredient at a disclosed 20% on an anhydrous oil base — the oil-soluble vitamin C derivative (INCIDecoder-verified). Specific vitamin C derivative verified as a lead ingredient via INCIDecoder 2026-06-14; ASIN B0728GYDMG price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.

Other products with vitamin-c-derivatives:

02 / The full ingredient list

Every ingredient, in label order

Exactly as printed, each token matched to the EU CosIng register and flagged where a CIR safety assessment exists. Highlighted rows are the key actives.

#	Ingredient, as printed	CosIng functions	CIR
01	Coconut Alkanes	skin conditioning - emollient solvent	—
02	Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate	antioxidant skin conditioning	✓ reviewed
03	Ethyl Linoleate	skin conditioning - emollient perfuming	—
04	Coco-Caprylate/Caprate	skin conditioning - emollient skin conditioning	✓ reviewed
05	Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil	skin conditioning - emollient hair conditioning skin conditioning	✓ reviewed
06	Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract	antioxidant	—
07	Squalane	skin conditioning - emollient hair conditioning refatting skin conditioning	✓ reviewed

7 ingredients as printed · 7 exact CosIng matches · source: tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (thd) is the #2 ingredient at a disclosed 20% on an anhydrous oil base — the oil-soluble vitamin c derivative (incidecoder-verified)

03 / Where to buy

Where to buy Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F

Buy on Amazon $20.50

Some links on this page earn us a commission. It never changes our analysis — the methodology is public.

04 / What people say

What buyers actually say

What works

Common Stabler and gentler than pure vitamin C — friendlier pH, no fast browning, kinder to sensitive skin ¹⁷

Several chemically modified derivatives of vitamin C have been developed in an attempt to increase the stability, percutaneous absorption, and overall activity of this ingredient in topical formulations. review
Common Real vitamin C brightening, not just surface polish — derivatives still reduce melanin formation ²

It decreases melanin formation, thereby reducing pigmentation. review

What to know

Common Most are pro-drugs that must convert to vitamin C in the skin, and the evidence is generally thinner than for pure L-ascorbic acid — gentler is a trade-off, and which derivative you get matters ²¹

clinical studies on the efficacy of topical formulations of vitamin C remain limited review

What you'd only know from the reviews

Don't assume oil-soluble + 20% = the strongest vitamin C in the cabinet. THD reads premium, but on its own it's a fragile antioxidant that degrades fast unless the formula protects it — so the supporting cast (here, antioxidant-rich tomato extract and a stable lipid base) is doing real work. Buy it for comfort and dry-skin friendliness, not as a knockout L-ascorbic replacement. ⁴

1 review A review of topical vitamin C derivatives and their efficacy 2022
2 review Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: mechanisms & clinical applications 2017
3 Study Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside — a stable pro-drug converted to vitamin C in skin 2021
4 Study Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate degrades rapidly under oxidative stress unless stabilized 2021
5 Study Sodium L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate 5% lotion for acne — randomized controlled trial 2010
6 Study SAP — antimicrobial vs acne bacteria + prevents UVA sebum oxidation 2005
7 Editorial Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate — INCIDecoder 2026

05 / Questions

Frequently asked

What's in The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F?: The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F lists 7 ingredients. Key active: 20% vitamin-c-derivatives. Specific vitamin C derivative verified as a lead ingredient via INCIDecoder 2026-06-14; ASIN B0728GYDMG price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14. The full ingredient list, matched to EU CosIng, is on this page.
Does The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F work?: Qualified yes. THD is a genuinely useful oil-soluble vitamin C precursor — comfortable, non-stinging, and a good option for dry or sensitive skin that can't take a water-based acid serum — and here it's at a high, disclosed 20% in a clean lipid base. The honest part: research shows THD on its own is a poor antioxidant that degrades quickly under the oxidative conditions of real skin unless it's well formulated and stabilized, so a THD serum is only as good as the formula around it, and the human evidence base is thinner than for pure vitamin C. Treat it as a gentle, elegant derivative option — not a guaranteed upgrade over L-ascorbic acid. Vegan.
How much vitamin-c-derivatives is in The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F?: 20% vitamin-c-derivatives. Specific vitamin C derivative verified as a lead ingredient via INCIDecoder 2026-06-14; ASIN B0728GYDMG price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.
Where can I buy The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F?: $20.50 on Amazon (price recorded as of the date shown). Specific vitamin C derivative verified as a lead ingredient via INCIDecoder 2026-06-14; ASIN B0728GYDMG price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.