This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate and Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.
This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while respecting your skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Olea Europaea Leaf Cell Extract
Skin ProtectingCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Nephelium Lappaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialUndecylenoyl Phenylalanine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningRubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
4-Butylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Zingerone
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Bidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantVigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningThioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Alanine
Masking
Histidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Threonine
Valine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Taurine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Leaf Cell Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Panthenol, Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Lysolecithin, Lecithin, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Lactobacillus Ferment, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Nephelium Lappaceum Seed Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine, Cyclodextrin, Water, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Retinal, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Tranexamic Acid, 4-Butylresorcinol, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Acetyl Zingerone, Bakuchiol, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract, Thioctic Acid, Ceramide NP, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Lysine Hcl, Alanine, Histidine Hcl, Arginine, Serine, Proline, Glutamic Acid, Threonine, Valine, Leucine, Glycine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Taurine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Tocopheryl Acetate
Aspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Bacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Croton Lechleri Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Bromelain
Skin Conditioning
Gardenia Florida Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentLactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Bacillus Ferment, Glycerin, Croton Lechleri Resin Extract, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Papain, Bromelain, Gardenia Florida Flower Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide is a prebiotic. It prevents harmful bacteria from growing on skin by keeping the skin's microbiome in balance.
Another benefit of this ingredient is its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect our skin from oxidative damage.
Inulin is a polysaccharide (carbohydrate) with prebiotic and antioxidant properties.
The majority of inulin is extracted from chicory, but can also be obtained from other plants such as garlic, onion, asparagus, and sugarcane.
Studies show inulin may help with controlling your skin's natural microbiota when applied topically.
The antioxidant potential of inulin varies depending on the source.
Learn more about InulinThis ingredient is made when the Lactobacillus bacteria (the same kind that makes yogurt and kimchi) are allowed to ferment a nutrient medium.
As it ferments, it collects lactic acid, peptides, enzymes, and other bioactive metabolites to provide:
A 2023 review noted that probiotic fermentation ingredients like this one can enhance antioxidant capacity, reduce UV-induced oxidative damage, and support barrier function.
One clinical study from the same year showed a Lactobacillus ferment lysate significantly reduced transepidermal water loss and improved skin hydration.
Another review highlighted that topical Lactobacillus-based preparations can improve ceramide levels in the stratum corneum, support barrier integrity, and even help reduce S. aureus colonization in atopic dermatitis.
Why is this so cool?
Basically, your skin's outer layer works as a brick wall; skin cells are bricks and ceramides are the mortar holding it together. Moisture escapes, irritants get in, and your skin gets dry and reactive when ceramide levels drop. On top of that, "bad" skin bacteria S. aureus loves to move in when your barrier is weak to make inflammation and irritation worse.
So Lactobacillus ferment is basically patching the wall and evicting the troublemaker when it boosts ceramide production and help keep S. aureus in check.
On top of all this, it also acts as a mild antimicrobial preservative booster.
Just so you know, most studies focus on specific strains or the lysate form rather than this generic "Lactobacillus Ferment", so results can vary.
Though it's a promising ingredient, it doesn't have decades of robust clinical data behind it just yet.
Lactobacillus Ferment is generally considered safe for fungal-acne prone skin. The key thing to understand is that it comes from bacteria, not yeast or fungus.
Yeast-derived ferments (like galactomyces) have been shown to activate a protein that's linked to Malassezia-related skin issues whereas lactobacillus doesn't have that problem.
Its byproducts also don't contain the types of fatty acids (C11-24 chain lengths) that Malassezia feeds on.
Learn more about Lactobacillus FermentSclerotium Gum is a natural sugar-based fiber made by fermenting a fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. It's often used as the plant-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners like carbomer.
In skincare, it works as a thickener, gel former, and stabilizer that keeps heavy ingredients suspended so a product does not separate.
It is non-ionic and forms a triple helix in solution. This is just a fancy way of saying it builds a smooth, cushiony, and non-sticky gel that feels silkier than many other gums.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it is very sturdy and holds up across a wide pH range (~2-11). It's also good at resisting heat and hydrolysis.
Since it holds water at the skin surface, it can provide some light hydration as well.
Typical use levels are around 0.25-2%; formulators usually use 0.2-0.5% to thicken lotions and up to 2% for a firmer gel base.
This ingredient has been found safe in cosmetics with no meaningful evidence of skin sensitization.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumSodium Anisate comes from fennel. It is used as a preservative and to add flavoring.
Sodium Anisate has antimicrobial properties.
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 HyaluronateSodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.
In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.
It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.
Learn more about Sodium Levulinate
