What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Betaine
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Water
Masking
Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tranexamic Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Water, Hexapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-4, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Yeast
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Betaine
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Mentha Haplocalix Extract
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Yeast, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Tranexamic Acid, Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Mentha Haplocalix Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTranexamic 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 AcidXanthan 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
