This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Alpha-Arbutin to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This brightening serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Honey
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Honey, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Carica Papaya Fruit Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Carica Papaya Fruit Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Sodium Phytate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
