What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Betaine
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Water, Hyaluronic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Betaine, Diglycerin, Glycerin, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Dna
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethoxyethyl Succinate
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Flower Extract
MoisturisingCamellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Yeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCandida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Gellan Gum
Sodium Phytate
Cellulose
Absorbent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arbutin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alpha-Arbutin, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Yeast Ferment Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine Salicylate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Cyanocobalamin, Polyglutamic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide NP, Dextrin, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidTranexamic 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 AcidWater. 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
