This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Rosa Canina Fruit Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycereth-26
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningHydroxydecyl Ubiquinone
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Arginine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract 85%
AstringentGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydroxydecyl Ubiquinone
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningRh-Polypeptide-11
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Extract 85%, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Rh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Ethylhexylglycerin
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.
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 preservatives
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxydecyl Ubiquinone (aka Idebenone) is an antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals, or the unstable molecules that break down collagen and speed up visible aging.
It's a synthetic analog of Coenzyme Q10 but with a much smaller molecular weight. In theory, this gives it greater potential to penetrate skin.
The headline claim comes from a 2005 study that ranked Idebenone's oxidative-stress protection against five popular antioxidants (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, CoQ10, Kinetin, and Alpha Lipoic Acid). This study found it performed strongly in their testing model.
A companion six-week clinical trial on 41 women with moderately photodamaged skin found a 1% Idebenone formula showed a 26% reduction in skin roughness and dryness, a 37% increase in hydration, a 29% reduction in fine-lines/wrinkles, and a 33% improvement in overall photodamage. One thing worth noting about this study is that there was no vehicle control so not all benefits can be pinned on idebenone alone.
Typical usage for this ingredient sits between 0.5-1% (both concentrations validated in clinical work).
On the safety side, Idebenone is well tolerated by most people. There are a handful of documented allergic contact dermatitis in individual users so be sure to patch test if you have sensitive or reactive skin.
Learn more about Hydroxydecyl UbiquinoneWater. 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