This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Tranexamic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
C9-12 Alkane
SolventPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion Stabilising3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Psidium Guajava Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
ChelatingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, C9-12 Alkane, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Psidium Guajava Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ferulic Acid, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Betaine, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Potassium Sorbate, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Lactic Acid, Isopropyl Isostearate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Stearyl Alcohol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Panthenol, Sodium Lactate, Trehalose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Dimethiconol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Ascorbic Acid, Avena Sativa Peptide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is a lab-made ingredient that plays a huge role in improving the texture of a formula.
It's used to thicken watery gel-creams, prevent water + oil from separating, and give products a silky, non-greasy glide.
Safety-wise, a panel of independent toxicologists reviewed this ingredient and concluded it to be safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration.
A separate sensitization patch test on humans also showed no evidence of allergic reactivity, and a true allergy to this ingredient is considered rare.
Typical usage levels range from 0.015%-3% in leave-on products and 0.078%-3.2% in rinse-off products.
Learn more about Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl TaurateWater. 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
