What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate-13
Squalane
Emollient
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Xylitol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Polyacrylate-13, Squalane, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Retinyl Palmitate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Collagen Amino Acids, Polysorbate 20, Xylitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alpha-Arbutin, Glutathione, Kojic Acid, Niacinamide, Azelaic Acid, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alpha-Arbutin is a brightening active used to fade dark spots, melasma, and post-acne marks. Structurally, it is a hydroquinone with a sugar molecule attached (but is much gentler than raw hydroquinone).
It has a pretty elegant way of working; it slots into tyrosinase, or the key enzyme that your skin uses to make melanin), and competitively blocks it so your skin produces less pigment over time.
There are two forms of arbutin and alpha is the better one to reach for: it works at lower amounts, absorbs into skin more easily, and has a strong safety record.
The science backs this up too: lab and animal studies confirm it lowers melanin by blocking tyosinase and the more you use (up to a point), the more it works.
Human studies look good too.
A 2024 trial found a cream with 5% alpha-arbutin and 2% kojic acid worked about as well as a prescription melasma cream but with fewer side effects. Another study showed 2% alpha-arbutin paired with 10% Trihydroxybenzoic Acid Glucoside and sunscreen faded dark spots and melasma without causing irritation.
Concentration-wise, most serums land in the 1-2% range.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded that alpha-arbutin is safe in face creams up to 2% and body lotions up to 0.5%.
Overall, this is a well-studied and low-irritation brightener that's a great pick for anyone dealing with uneven skin tone. It also pairs well with vitamin C, niacinamide, and sunscreen.
Learn more about Alpha-Arbutin
