What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycolic Acid
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantTranexamic Acid
Astringent4-Ethylresorcinol
AntimicrobialHexapeptide-2
BleachingRice Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingYeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantInositol
HumectantTaurine
BufferingBetaine
HumectantZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantSodium Sulfite
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-4
Disodium EDTA
Limonene
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Alcohol Denat., Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tranexamic Acid, 4-Ethylresorcinol, Hexapeptide-2, Rice Amino Acids, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Zinc Gluconate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyquaternium-4, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-12 Dimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Tranexamic Acid
AstringentLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingKojic Acid
AntioxidantPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningBacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingAminoethylphosphinic Acid
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
EmollientPullulan
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-2
HumectantSilica
AbrasivePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Niacinamide, Mandelic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tranexamic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Kojic Acid, Plankton Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Glycogen, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Aminoethylphosphinic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-2, Silica, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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 ParfumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium metabisulfite is also known as Sodium Pyrosulfite. It is a preservative, antioxidant, and disinfectant.
As a preservative, it helps stabilize cosmetic formulas without affecting their color or scent.
Tranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidWater. 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