This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid and Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Honey Extract
Humectant
Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract
MoisturisingPropolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Chelating
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glucose
Humectant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantCitral
Perfuming
Water, Lactic Acid, Propanediol, Jojoba Esters, Glycolic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Honey Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Gluconolactone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Glucose, Calcium Gluconate, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Skin Protecting
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 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.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol 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 PropanediolSclerotium Gum is a natural sugar-based fiber made by fermenting a fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. It's often used as the plant-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners like carbomer.
In skincare, it works as a thickener, gel former, and stabilizer that keeps heavy ingredients suspended so a product does not separate.
It is non-ionic and forms a triple helix in solution. This is just a fancy way of saying it builds a smooth, cushiony, and non-sticky gel that feels silkier than many other gums.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it is very sturdy and holds up across a wide pH range (~2-11). It's also good at resisting heat and hydrolysis.
Since it holds water at the skin surface, it can provide some light hydration as well.
Typical use levels are around 0.25-2%; formulators usually use 0.2-0.5% to thicken lotions and up to 2% for a firmer gel base.
This ingredient has been found safe in cosmetics with no meaningful evidence of skin sensitization.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumWater. 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
