Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner Versus skyn ICELAND Icelandic Youth Serum with Red Algae
This brightening toner is formulated around Ubiquinone and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Astaxanthin and Ergothioneine to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantRubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningRubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingOat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran
AbrasiveTocopherol
AntioxidantEthyl Olivate
EmollientAlgin
MaskingCapsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentMolasses
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientMentha Arvensis Extract
MaskingBarosma Betulina Leaf Extract
PerfumingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingElettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
MaskingAmyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCalcium Chloride
AstringentSalvia Sclarea Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingJuniperus Mexicana Oil
MaskingThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil
MaskingCupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil
EmollientOcimum Basilicum Oil
MaskingRibes Nigrum Bud Extract
PerfumingOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingVetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
MaskingPrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract
MaskingGellan Gum
Polyglyceryl-2 Laurate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprate
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract, Ubiquinone, Lactobacillus, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Collagen Amino Acids, Oat Amino Acids, Oryza Sativa Bran, Tocopherol, Ethyl Olivate, Algin, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Molasses, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Mentha Arvensis Extract, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Calcium Chloride, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Ribes Nigrum Bud Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract, Gellan Gum, Polyglyceryl-2 Laurate, Glyceryl Caprate
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAngelica Archangelica Root Water
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventAstaxanthin
Skin ConditioningErgothioneine
AntioxidantOxycoccus Palustris Seed Oil
AntioxidantRubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningFullerenes
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingBuddleja Davidii Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantZinc PCA
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientGlycosphingolipids
EmollientHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingPerfluorodecalin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Phytate
Butylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPvp
Emulsion StabilisingSucrose Palmitate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Angelica Archangelica Root Water, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Astaxanthin, Ergothioneine, Oxycoccus Palustris Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Fullerenes, Propanediol, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Glycerin, Zinc PCA, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycosphingolipids, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Perfluorodecalin, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pvp, Sucrose Palmitate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinCloudberry seed oil is rich in vitamin C, citric acid, malic acid, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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