Chantecaille Blanc Peony Face Cream Dark Spot Corrector Versus Eucerin Radiant Tone Night Cream

Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.

Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.

Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.

It works by in inhibiting tyrosinase (the enzyme your melanocytes use to produce melanin) so less pigment ends up deposited in your skin.

Here's something interesting:

Most brightening ingredients you've heard of like kojic acid, arbutin, and even hydroquinone were originally tested on mushroom tyrosinase. And it turns out, mushroom tyrosinase works pretty differently from the human kind.

So Beiersdorf screened 50,000 compounds against actual human tyrosinase, and Thiamidol came out as the strongest. It showed to be more potent than hydroquinone or arbutin at blocking the human enzyme.

It's been shown to fade melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and sun spots at 0.1-0.2% twice daily with visible results in about four weeks. One randomized trial even found 0.2% Thiamidol worked just as well as 4% hydroquinone on melasma but with fewer side effects.

This ingredient is generally well-tolerated and minor irritation has been reported very infrequently.

Be sure to also check out Rucinol, another "hydroquinone alternative".

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.

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!

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.