This brightening essence is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract 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
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-8
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Serine
Masking
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Isopentyldiol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-8, Water, Ascorbic Acid, Alcohol, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Parfum, Tocopherol, Pyridoxine Hcl, Allantoin, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract, Disodium EDTA, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Serine, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract 83%
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide 10%
Smoothing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Junos Peel Oil
Astringent
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Riboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningInositol
Humectant
Thiamine Hcl
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract 83%, Niacinamide 10%, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Bisabolol, Carbomer, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Water, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Panthenol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin, Linoleic Acid, Riboflavin, Beta-Carotene, Inositol, Thiamine Hcl, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Linalool
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 AcidButylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTATocopherol 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
