This brightening serum is formulated around Tranexamic Acid and Kojic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
This brightening treatment is formulated around Tranexamic Acid and Alpha-Arbutin to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Isododecane
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Isopentyldiol, Tranexamic Acid, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Kojic Acid, Niacinamide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Isododecane, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Phytate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C15-19 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-20 Octadecabehenate/Laurate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-5 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Kojic Dipalmitate
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Behenyl Behenate
EmollientMagnesium Sulfate
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Embelia Concinna Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Lentinus Edodes Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Zinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantPolyglyceryl-2 Oleate
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C15-19 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone, Propanediol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Polyglyceryl-20 Octadecabehenate/Laurate, Polyglyceryl-5 Polyricinoleate, Kojic Dipalmitate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Behenyl Behenate, Magnesium Sulfate, Alpha-Arbutin, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopherol, Embelia Concinna Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Glycerin, Zinc Stearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, Octyldodecanol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Citric Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77492
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric 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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTranexamic 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
