What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Olivate
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
4-Butylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
Antioxidant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xylitol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
Humectant
Diglucosyl Gallic Acid
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Alanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tranexamic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Propanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Xylitylglucoside, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, 4-Butylresorcinol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid, Resveratrol, Anhydroxylitol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ectoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Betaine, Glucose, Allantoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium PCA, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Sorbitol, Sodium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Serine, Ceramide AP, Glycine, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Tetrapeptide-21, Glutamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Nonapeptide-1, Alanine, Arginine, Lysine, Threonine, Proline, Ceramide EOP
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
