This anti-aging serum is formulated around Superoxide Dismutase and Astaxanthin to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.
This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantInulin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
AntioxidantXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin ConditioningPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
AntioxidantPolygonum Aviculare Extract
EmollientAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPadina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingPiper Cubeba Fruit Extract
PerfumingHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMelanin
Skin ProtectingSucrose
HumectantLysolecithin
EmulsifyingTapioca Starch
Propanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tromethamine
BufferingTriethanolamine
BufferingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Xanthophylls, Astaxanthin, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Polygonum Aviculare Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Piper Cubeba Fruit Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Melanin, Sucrose, Lysolecithin, Tapioca Starch, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tromethamine, Triethanolamine, Ethoxydiglycol, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantLactobacillus/Nereocystis Leutkeana Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCarnosine
Skin ConditioningCarnitine
CleansingNiacinamide
SmoothingTetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantTetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantTetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhloretin
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Dimethylaminoethanol Tartrate
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantResveratrol
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingLycopene
AntioxidantThioctic Acid
AntioxidantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantCatalase
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-77
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSorbic Acid
PreservativeWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Lactobacillus/Nereocystis Leutkeana Ferment Filtrate, Sodium PCA, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Carnosine, Carnitine, Niacinamide, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Ferulic Acid, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phloretin, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Glutathione, Dimethylaminoethanol Tartrate, Ubiquinone, Resveratrol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lycopene, Thioctic Acid, Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, Sh-Oligopeptide-77, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.
Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.
As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.
There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.
Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.
It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.
Learn more about Sodium PCASuperoxide Dismutase is found in all living cells. This ingredient is AKA as 'SOD'.
SOD is a strong antioxidant. It protects living cells against oxidative damage by breaking down radical molecules into regular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules that may damage your skin's DNA. This may help with the signs of aging. Due to its antioxidant property, it is used to help treat chronic inflammation.
In cosmetics, SOD is usually obtained from marine phytoplankton, bovine liver, horseradish, cantaloupe, and certain bacteria.
The three major families of SOD include: Copper/Zinc, Iron/Manganese, and Nickel.
When eating SOD-rich foods, our bodies break it down into amino acids before absorption. Foods that contain SOD include: melons, citrus, spinach, broccoli, kale, almonds, sunflower seeds, and blue-green algae.
Learn more about Superoxide DismutaseWater. 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