What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Heptyl Undecylenate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methylpropanediol
SolventPolylactic Acid
Abrasive
Cetearyl Olivate
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientRetinyl Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cholesteryl Nonanoate
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrideceth-10
CleansingWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Heptyl Undecylenate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methylpropanediol, Polylactic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Distarch Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Retinyl Retinoate, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesteryl Nonanoate, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Canola Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Trideceth-10
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
