What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Paeonia Officinalis Flower Extract
TonicSecale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Glycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Hedta
AbsorbentPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Paraben
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside, Tranexamic Acid, Ceramide AP, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Paeonia Officinalis Flower Extract, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Extract, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Hydrolyzed Silk, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hedta, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Polyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer, Sodium Metabisulfite, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Paraben, Water
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Glucoside is a stable form of Vitamin C. It is created by combining glucose from starch.
When applied to skin, Ascorbyl Glucoside turns into Ascorbic Acid.
Ascorbyl Glucoside is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may damage skin cells.
It can help to reduce redness, improve skin texture, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, and brighten skin.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Ascorbyl GlucosideButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCitric 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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
