This brightening treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and clear breakouts.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoconut Alkanes
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Olivate
Polysilicone-11
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocitrus Australis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMicrocitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract
HumectantSodium Lactate
Buffering
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
ChelatingZinc PCA
Humectant
Thymol
AntimicrobialTerpineol
Masking
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polydextrose
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentAmylopectin
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Coconut Alkanes, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Methicone, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Polysilicone-11, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract, Sodium Lactate, Phytosphingosine, Adenosine, Decyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium PCA, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Maltodextrin, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Polysorbate 20, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Zinc PCA, Thymol, Terpineol, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polydextrose, Dextrin, Amylopectin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
