This calming serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Alpha-Arbutin to calm redness and soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingHaematococcus Pluvialis Oil
AntioxidantWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Panthenol, Alpha-Arbutin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Astaxanthin, Adenosine, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Acacia Senegal Gum, Haematococcus Pluvialis Oil, Whey Protein, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventNicotinamide Mononucleotide
AntioxidantC12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientResveratrol
AntioxidantSodium Phosphate
BufferingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantCollagen
MoisturisingNonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPentapeptide-3
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, C12-14 Alketh-12, Glyceryl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tromethamine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Pentylene Glycol, Lecithin, Resveratrol, Sodium Phosphate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Collagen, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Dipeptide-2, Hexapeptide-11, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Pentapeptide-3, Tripeptide-1
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideThis ingredient is also called NAD+.
It is a coenzyme naturally found in every living cell where it plays a role in energy metabolism, DNA repair, and the activation of enzymes that maintain cellular health. Niacinamide is one of its key precursors.
Our NAD+ levels naturally decline with age and several DNA repair mechanisms critical to skin health are directly dependent on NAD+ to function.
In-vitro studies on human fibroblasts have shown that exogenous NAD+ can protect agsinst UV-induced extrinsic and intrinsic aging.
Here's a big caveat: NAD+ is a large, polar moleculate that has difficult penetrating the skin's stratum corneum. It also degrades quickly when exposed to light, heat, or pH changes. That's why brands prefer to use smaller, more stable precursors like NMN or NR.
The optimal stability for NAD+ is a pH of 6-7.5 and it is typically used in concentration ranges from 0.5-2%.
If you're looking for the most well-studied topical route to support your skin's NAD+, niacinamide is your best bet.
Learn more about Nicotinamide Adenine DinucleotideWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum