What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Bioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningGlycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningCystine
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Ergosterol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMethylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Carbomer/Papain Crosspolymer
Phytic Acid
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAlgin
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Citrus Species Peel Extract
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Tranexamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Lactic Acid, Ergothioneine, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Fructooligosaccharides, Bioflavonoids, Glycoproteins, Glycine, Squalane, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Beta-Carotene, Cystine, Pentylene Glycol, Mannitol, Ergosterol, Xanthan Gum, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Carbomer/Papain Crosspolymer, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Acacia Senegal Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Algin, Disodium Phosphate, Limonene, Citrus Species Peel Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningSalvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Ferula Foetida Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Dipteryx Odorata Seed Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Cera
MaskingSodium Phytate
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ferula Foetida Root Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caffeine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phospholipids, Panthenol, Lactobacillus/Dipteryx Odorata Seed Ferment Filtrate, Tranexamic Acid, Niacinamide, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Pelargonium Graveolens Cera, Sodium Phytate, Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Sorbic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
