What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid 13%
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantTromethamine
Buffering3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Glutathione
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentSqualane
Emollient
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Water, Ascorbic Acid 13%, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Tromethamine, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Sulfite, Disodium EDTA, Glutathione, Adenosine, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Dextrin, Squalane, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Arginine, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
3-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Acetyl Zingerone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, 3-Glyceryl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Acetyl Zingerone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hexylresorcinol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Allantoin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cellulose Gum, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
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 AllantoinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
