This brightening treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Glycolic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and refine skin texture.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Water, Azelaic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Propanediol, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycereth-26
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Mentha Viridis Extract
MaskingPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Riboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Diisostearyl Malate, Cetyl Alcohol, Betaine, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycereth-26, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Arginine, Isohexadecane, Polyquaternium-51, Myristyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Propanediol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Mentha Viridis Extract, Phytosterols, Panthenol, Allantoin, Riboflavin, Cyanocobalamin, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide NP, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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
