What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientBis-PEG/PPG-20/5 PEG/PPG-20/5 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Methoxy PEG/PPG-25/4 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Colloidal Gold
AntimicrobialGlutathione
Water, Niacinamide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Bis-PEG/PPG-20/5 PEG/PPG-20/5 Dimethicone, Methoxy PEG/PPG-25/4 Dimethicone, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acacia Senegal Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sorbitol, Alcohol, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Colloidal Gold, Glutathione
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.
Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.
Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!
Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.
Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.
The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.
Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
