Melyon Night Cream Versus Glow Lab Night Cream
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantInulin
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentBioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCalcium Pantothenate
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientPapain
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientUrea
BufferingMagnesium Lactate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Lactate
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantSerine
MaskingMagnesium Chloride
Proline
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingSilica
AbrasiveSodium Citrate
BufferingAcetyl Hexapeptide-37
Skin ConditioningWater, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Propanediol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Inulin, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Bioflavonoids, Retinyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Papain, Maltodextrin, Allantoin, Pyridoxine Hcl, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Urea, Magnesium Lactate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Lactate, Tocopherol, Serine, Magnesium Chloride, Proline, Alanine, Silica, Sodium Citrate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientSodium Phytate
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alcohol Denat., Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumTocopheryl 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