What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Mannitol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingTropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Dextrin
AbsorbentFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Waltheria Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Isopentyldiol, Tranexamic Acid, Mannitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Citrate, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Sorbitan Caprylate, Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Dextrin, Ferulic Acid, Waltheria Indica Leaf Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phosphate
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol 1%
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid 1%
Astringent
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Betaine
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Panthenol 1%, Tranexamic Acid 1%, Water, Gluconolactone, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Glycerin, Tromethamine, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Betaine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Linalool
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
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateTranexamic 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
