This brightening serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract and Squalane to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPalmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Bisabolol, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantEthoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialSodium Phytate
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Water. 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