This smoothing serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Azelaic Acid to refine skin texture and fade the look of dark spots.
This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and clear breakouts.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDiglycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glutathione
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningJania Rubens Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingErythritol
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingInositol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Glutathione, Azelaic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Allantoin, Soluble Proteoglycan, Jania Rubens Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Cellulose Gum, Erythritol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Inositol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trehalose, Lauroyl Lysine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Carrageenan, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Skin Protecting
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinAzelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic 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 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
