What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingTranexamic Acid
AstringentNeopentyl Glycol
SolventPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPotassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-75 Stearate
Ceteth-20
CleansingPEG-20 Stearate
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningPPG-17
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPEG/PPG-10/30 Copolymer
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingSilica
AbrasivePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Neopentyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Propanediol, Isoamyl Laurate, Dimethicone, Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Ceteth-20, PEG-20 Stearate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Allantoin, PPG-17, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Parfum, PEG/PPG-10/30 Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
SmoothingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantSilanediol Salicylate
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentAcetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingGlycogen
HumectantMannitol
HumectantPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol
Arbutin
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Sh-Tripeptide-5 Norisoleucyl Sh-Nonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningLinolenic Acid
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Silanediol Salicylate, Tranexamic Acid, Acetyl Tyrosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Butylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glycogen, Mannitol, Phosphatidylcholine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Arbutin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Palmitoyl Sh-Tripeptide-5 Norisoleucyl Sh-Nonapeptide-1, Linolenic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dipropylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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