Facial Treatment
Serum
American United States
Malaysian Malaysia

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Skin Conditioning
Vitamin C IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Antioxidant

This ingredient is also known as rucinol. It's an antioxidant and one of the best-studied tyrosinase inhibitors (skin brightener) in cosmetic chemistry.

This ingredient works in a few complimentary ways:

In head-to-head biochemical assays, it outperformed kojic acid, arbutin, and even hydroquinone at slowing melanin production.

Clinically, 0.1% has shown to improve melasma visibly after just 4 weeks. Another liposome-encapsulated version performed similarly well and an Indian study on 0.3% showed significant melasma reduction over 8 weeks with no adverse events reported.

This ingredient is generally well-tolerated. A very small amount of people have experienced mild dryness or peeling at a higher concentration (0.3%).

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is sensitive to air. Good formulations should account for this to keep your rucinol effective.

Be sure to also check out Thiamidol, another "hydroquinone alternative".

Learn more about 4-Butylresorcinol
Bleaching, Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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

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