What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
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 ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG-32
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bis-PEG/PPG-20/5 PEG/PPG-20/5 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Methoxy PEG/PPG-25/4 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Soy Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-2
Bleaching
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingCarbenia Benedicta Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Tranexamic Acid, Niacinamide, Alpha-Arbutin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-32, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Ectoin, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bis-PEG/PPG-20/5 PEG/PPG-20/5 Dimethicone, Methoxy PEG/PPG-25/4 Dimethicone, Soy Amino Acids, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide As, Arginine, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ergothioneine, Nonapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Hexapeptide-2, Hexapeptide-9, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract, Carbenia Benedicta Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyglutamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Carbomer, Cholesterol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
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 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
