This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Tranexamic Acid and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 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 ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
EmollientBetaine
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPiper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Medica Peel Oil
Soluble Collagen
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingPueraria Thunbergiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCnidium Officinale Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingRaffinose
Skin ConditioningIsostearyl Isostearate
EmollientPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Linoleate
AntioxidantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingCedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
MaskingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingIllicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
MaskingCymbopogon Nardus Oil
MaskingEugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
MaskingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
MaskingJasminum Officinale Oil
MaskingSantalum Album Oil
MaskingFerula Galbaniflua Resin Oil
AntimicrobialRose Flower Oil
MaskingPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningWater, Alcohol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethiconol, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Soluble Collagen, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Panthenol, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pueraria Thunbergiana Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Raffinose, Isostearyl Isostearate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Folic Acid, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, CI 42090, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Tranexamic Acid
AstringentHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTranexamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Xanthan Gum, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum