What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCocoglycerides
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Malic Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
Masking
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, C13-15 Alkane, Cocoglycerides, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Cetearyl Olivate, Alpha-Arbutin, Citric Acid, Ferulic Acid, Sodium PCA, Tocopherol, Malic Acid, Gluconolactone, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Sorbitan Olivate, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Leuconostoc/Grape Juice Ferment Filtrate
HumectantSodium PCA
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Yeast Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, C13-15 Alkane, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Lactic Acid, Leuconostoc/Grape Juice Ferment Filtrate, Sodium PCA, Glycerin, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolC13-15 Alkane is a group of alkanes with 13 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
It is a solvent and texture enhancer. Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCATetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
