What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAbronia Villosa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAgave Americana Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningYucca Brevifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Coccinellifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningFouquieria Splendens Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLarrea Tridentata Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Oenothera Biennis Root Extract, Abronia Villosa Leaf Extract, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Yucca Brevifolia Root Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Flower Extract, Fouquieria Splendens Stem Extract, Larrea Tridentata Extract, Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientC13-15 Alkane
SolventPolyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, C13-15 Alkane, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
