JUMISO All Day Vitamin Pure C 5.5 Glow Serum Versus Skintific MSH Niacinamide Brightening Moisture Gel
This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Alpha-Arbutin to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Bis-PEG/PPG-20/5 PEG/PPG-20/5 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Methoxy PEG/PPG-25/4 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Armillaria Matsutake Extract
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Centella Asiatica Extract, Alpha-Arbutin, Ceramide NP, Tranexamic Acid, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Betaine, Jojoba Esters, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sorbitan Olivate, Bis-PEG/PPG-20/5 PEG/PPG-20/5 Dimethicone, Methoxy PEG/PPG-25/4 Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Armillaria Matsutake Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Reviews
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
Alpha-Arbutin is a brightening active used to fade dark spots, melasma, and post-acne marks. Structurally, it is a hydroquinone with a sugar molecule attached (but is much gentler than raw hydroquinone).
It has a pretty elegant way of working; it slots into tyrosinase, or the key enzyme that your skin uses to make melanin), and competitively blocks it so your skin produces less pigment over time.
There are two forms of arbutin and alpha is the better one to reach for: it works at lower amounts, absorbs into skin more easily, and has a strong safety record.
The science backs this up too: lab and animal studies confirm it lowers melanin by blocking tyosinase and the more you use (up to a point), the more it works.
Human studies look good too.
A 2024 trial found a cream with 5% alpha-arbutin and 2% kojic acid worked about as well as a prescription melasma cream but with fewer side effects. Another study showed 2% alpha-arbutin paired with 10% Trihydroxybenzoic Acid Glucoside and sunscreen faded dark spots and melasma without causing irritation.
Concentration-wise, most serums land in the 1-2% range.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded that alpha-arbutin is safe in face creams up to 2% and body lotions up to 0.5%.
Overall, this is a well-studied and low-irritation brightener that's a great pick for anyone dealing with uneven skin tone. It also pairs well with vitamin C, niacinamide, and sunscreen.
Learn more about Alpha-ArbutinButylene 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 Glycerin
