This brightening serum is formulated around Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol and Sodium Hyaluronate to fade the look of dark spots and soften the look of wrinkles.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Xylitol and Niacinamide to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentIsobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
Bleaching
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arctium Lappa Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Glucosylrutin
Antioxidant
Isoquercitrin
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Alcohol Denat., Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Distarch Phosphate, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arctium Lappa Fruit Extract, Glucosylrutin, Isoquercitrin, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Chloride, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Rhamnose
HumectantLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Xylitol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trideceth-6, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexyldecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Pyrus Malus Seed Extract, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, 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.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Tocopherol 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
