This pore-care serum is formulated around Copper Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to refine the look of pores and soften the look of wrinkles.
This brightening serum is formulated around Tranexamic Acid and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Tripeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Collagen
Moisturising
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Malt Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract
Skin ProtectingDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tripeptide-3, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-2, Adenosine, Gluconolactone, Collagen, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Cellulose Gum, Tromethamine, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrolyzed Malt Extract, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Methylpropanediol
SolventMethicone
Emollient
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Antioxidant
Paeonia Lactiflora Extract
AstringentGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract
MaskingStephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glutathione
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Niacinamide, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycereth-26, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Methylpropanediol, Methicone, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Allantoin, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Extract, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Phospholipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Glutathione, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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
