What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningQuaternium-60
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder
Abrasive
Cellulose
Absorbent
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Menadione
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Glycol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRaspberry Ketone
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Quaternium-60, Propylene Glycol, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder, Cellulose, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Dipropylene Glycol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Coptis Japonica Extract, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Arbutin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glutathione, Bisabolol, Menadione, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Cyanocobalamin, Butylene Glycol, Lactobionic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Limonene
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
Arbutin is a naturally occurring molecule (found in bearberry, cranberry, and blueberry) that is used in skincare as a gentle brightening agent to fade dark spots, melasma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Chemically, it is a sugar-bound form of hydroquinone.
It works mainly by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme your skin uses to make melanin. This means less new pigment gets produced over time.
There are two forms you'll see on labels: beta-arbutin (listed as just "Arbutin") and alpha-arbutin (the more stable and effective of the two).
The evidence behind this is solid: it's less cytotoxic to melanocytes than hydroquinone and comparably effective with kojic acid for hyperpigmentation.
One human study using a 10% solution reduced UVR-induced hyperpigmentation by 43.5% (jumping to 63.3% when paired with aloesin).
More recent clinical work backs it up too; a 2025 study on a 5% alpha-arbutin + 2% kojic acid cream found it comparable to triple combination prescription formulas but with lower recurrence for melasma.
Typical usage in cosmetics serums land in the 1-2% range.
It's a well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-photoreactive ingredient that also gives some antioxidant benefits too.
Learn more about ArbutinDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinTocopherol 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
