HALE Even Tone Potion Versus Ayura Serum Optimizer
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Thymus Extract
Skin ConditioningPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Royal Jelly
Isomerized Safflower Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Trimethylpyrazine
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Maltitol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,5-Pentanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyoxymethylene Glycol Urea
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-3 Hydroxypropyl Ethylhexyl Ether
CleansingAlgin
Masking
Polyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingPentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene Phosphonate
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Thymus Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Royal Jelly, Isomerized Safflower Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Trehalose, Trimethylpyrazine, Glycerin, Maltitol, Butylene Glycol, 1,5-Pentanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyoxymethylene Glycol Urea, Polyglyceryl-3 Hydroxypropyl Ethylhexyl Ether, Algin, Polyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Metaphosphate, Pentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene Phosphonate, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
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
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 a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium metabisulfite is also known as Sodium Pyrosulfite. It is a preservative, antioxidant, and disinfectant.
As a preservative, it helps stabilize cosmetic formulas without affecting their color or scent.
Tranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic Acid
