This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This calming moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Snail Secretion Filtrate to calm redness and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSteareth-21
CleansingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentCalcium Pantothenate
Maltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningRumex Occidentalis Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantSilica
AbrasiveWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Steareth-21, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, Phenoxyethanol, CI 16035, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Silica
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingMethylpropanediol
SolventCollagen
MoisturisingArbutin
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carbomer, Snail Secretion Filtrate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Methylpropanediol, Collagen, Arbutin, Phenoxyethanol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 “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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol