What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingTranexamic Acid
AstringentButylene Glycol
HumectantDiethoxyethyl Succinate
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Flower Extract
MoisturisingCamellia Sinensis Seed Oil
HumectantYeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingArtemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
AntimicrobialSucrose Palmitate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGellan Gum
Sodium Phytate
Cellulose
AbsorbentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningDimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arbutin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alpha-Arbutin, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Yeast Ferment Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Glucose, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine Salicylate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Cyanocobalamin, Polyglutamic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide NP, Dextrin, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum
Tranexamic Acid
AstringentAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningSilk Extract
Skin ConditioningCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Extract
Skin Conditioning1,4-Cyclohexanedicarboxylic Acid
Glycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglycerin-6
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-8 Castor Oil
EmulsifyingHedta
AbsorbentPolyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Paraben
PreservativeWater
Skin ConditioningTranexamic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ceramide Ns, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Silk Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Extract, 1,4-Cyclohexanedicarboxylic Acid, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Polyglycerin-6, Alcohol Denat., Potassium Hydroxide, PEG-8 Castor Oil, Hedta, Polyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Paraben, Water
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinTranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidWater. 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 Water