This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This brightening serum is formulated around Hexylresorcinol and Hyaluronic Acid to fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningNannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantAgastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-68
Bleaching
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Oleate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hydroxyproline
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Acetate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Hexylresorcinol, Butylene Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Dipeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Oligopeptide-68, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76, Bisabolol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethyl Linoleate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyproline, Acetyl Hydroxyproline, Citric Acid, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol 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 PropanediolWater. 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
