What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantPolysilicone-11
Sodium Citrate
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantCellulose
AbsorbentNiacinamide
SmoothingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingKojic Dipalmitate
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Sunflowerseedate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentPolyglyceryl-10 Caprylate
EmulsifyingLaureth-12
EmulsifyingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Diglycerin, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Citrate, Glycerin, Cellulose, Niacinamide, Ascorbic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Kojic Dipalmitate, Lactic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Sunflowerseedate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate, Laureth-12, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hexylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.
Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.
Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!
Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.
Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.
The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.
Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidEthoxydiglycol is a synthetic solvent.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Ethoxydiglycol also helps deliver other key ingredients into the skin.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water