What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Maranta Arundinacea Root Extract
SmoothingTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingGlutathione
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingOrchis Mascula Flower Extract
SoothingGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Lactic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycolic Acid, Maranta Arundinacea Root Extract, Tranexamic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Coconut Alkanes, 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glutathione, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C13-15 Alkane
SolventTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Pea
Skin ConditioningAsparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Pancratium Maritimum Extract
BleachingGanoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Lentinus Edodes Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientDiacetyl Boldine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate
Emollient
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Caprylate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Succinate
BufferingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-15 Alkane, Tranexamic Acid, Glycerin, Alpha-Arbutin, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Diacetyl Boldine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Lactobacillus, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Glucose, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate, C14-22 Alcohols, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Propanediol, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Succinate, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, 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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 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 BenzoateTranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidWater. 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
