This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Glycoproteins and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This serum is formulated around Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate to reduce redness and brighten.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Tridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Isododecane
EmollientPetrolatum
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root
Emollient
Equisetum Arvense Juice
Skin ConditioningCaprylic Acid
CleansingPalmitoyl Heptapeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Larix Sibirica Wood Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Germ
HumectantJasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Boswellia Serrata Gum Extract
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Isooctanoyl Tetrapeptide-25
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Thalassiosira Pseudonana Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Honey
Humectant
Tuber Magnatum Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Vitis Vinifera Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Copolymer
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Lecithin
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Tricaprylin
Perfuming
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysilicone-11
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dextran
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyisobutene
Stearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
PEG-7
HumectantTrimethylolpropane
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tridecyl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Isododecane, Petrolatum, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Sorbitan Tristearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Glycoproteins, Panax Ginseng Root, Equisetum Arvense Juice, Caprylic Acid, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-5, Larix Sibirica Wood Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Germ, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Boswellia Serrata Gum Extract, Proline, Hydroxyproline, Glycine, Isooctanoyl Tetrapeptide-25, Resveratrol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Thalassiosira Pseudonana Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Honey, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Vitis Vinifera Vine Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Lecithin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Tricaprylin, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Tocopherol, PEG-40 Stearate, Polysilicone-11, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Hexylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Palmitate, Cetyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Dextran, Stearic Acid, Polyisobutene, Stearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Carbomer, Sorbitol, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Eugenol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, PEG-7, Trimethylolpropane
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Cutaneous Lysate
MoisturisingTetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantCapryloyl Carnosine
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 338
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Cutaneous Lysate, Tetrapeptide-21, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pullulan, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Proline, Arginine, Glycine, Glutamine, Chlorphenesin, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Capryloyl Carnosine, Poloxamer 338, Silica, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Dextran, Sorbitan Isostearate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dextran is a sugar (polysaccharide) with skin hydrating properties.
Fun fact: Louis Pasteur first discovered this ingredient as a microbial product in wine.
Disodium 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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolProline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.
It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.
Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.
Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
Learn more about ProlineSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
