What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hydroquinone 2%
StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantMontan/Stearic Glycerides
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantMethyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPropylparaben
PreservativeCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
PreservativeIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientPEG-90
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantPea Palmitate
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientHydroquinone 2%, Glycerin, Montan/Stearic Glycerides, Butylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Cyclopentasiloxane, BHT, Methyl Gluceth-10, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Propylparaben, Cetearyl Alcohol, Water, Methylparaben, Isopropyl Myristate, PEG-90, Stearic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Pea Palmitate, Paraffinum Liquidum
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysilicone-11
Silica
AbrasiveBis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
EmollientCystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine
Skin ConditioningPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Thiosulfate
Carnosine
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 338
EmulsifyingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Silica, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, 2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Thiosulfate, Carnosine, Poloxamer 338, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 17200, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinWater. 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