What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf
Perfuming
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Undaria Pinnatifida Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Salicylate
Preservative
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit
EmollientAstaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Ascorbic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Undaria Pinnatifida Cell Culture Extract, Sodium Salicylate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Potassium Sorbate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Thioctic Acid, Glutathione, Ubiquinone, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit, Astaxanthin
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Zinc PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sodium Sulfite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal.
Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.
Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
Learn more about Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltrateThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ingredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilSodium 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 HyaluronateTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract is from the Kakadu plum. The Kakadu plum is native to northern Australia. The Kakadu plum holds the record for having the highest amount of natural vitamin C.
This ingredient is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals and thus may reduce the signs of aging.
The high vitamin C content of Kakadu plum also helps lighten skin. Vitamin C has been shown to block the process of skin darkening that leads to hyperpigmentation.
Kakadu plums have been used by indigenous cultures as medicine to help treat colds and as an antiseptic.
Learn more about Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit ExtractTocopherol 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 TocopherolXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
