This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Tranexamic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and refine the look of pores.
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Tranexamic Acid 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 ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingTranexamic Acid
AstringentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientVinyldimethicone
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Olivate
Glyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Behenyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningEriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningMentha Viridis Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantDextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid Polypeptide
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Phenyl Trimethicone, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Ether, Vinyldimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sorbitan Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Fructooligosaccharides, Adenosine, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Cholesterol, Butylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Mentha Viridis Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dextrin, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingTranexamic Acid
AstringentAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPhytic Acid
Cocoglycerides
EmollientSilicon
AbrasivePolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingC9-12 Alkane
SolventMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantParfum
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantSalicylic Acid
MaskingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning4-Butylresorcinol
AntioxidantPolysilicone-11
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSclareolide
MaskingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
T-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Phytic Acid, Cocoglycerides, Silicon, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, C9-12 Alkane, Mandelic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Parfum, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 4-Butylresorcinol, Polysilicone-11, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sclareolide, Sodium Metabisulfite, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, T-Butyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePropanediol 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 PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTranexamic 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 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