What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningC13-15 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentLecithin
Emollient
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTranexamic Acid
Astringent
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phytic Acid
Water, Triheptanoin, C13-15 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclodextrin, Lecithin, Lysolecithin, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Tranexamic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide 8%
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract 6%
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Alpha-Arbutin 3%
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid 2%
Astringent
Diglycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylamide
Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Methylpropanediol
SolventChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingLauryl Alcohol Diphosphonic Acid
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cyclotetrasiloxane
Emollient
Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Water, Niacinamide 8%, Butylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract 6%, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alpha-Arbutin 3%, Tranexamic Acid 2%, Diglycerin, Dimethicone, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polyacrylamide, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Chlorphenesin, Polyglutamic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lauric Acid, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Lauryl Alcohol Diphosphonic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, P-Anisic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene 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 GlycolNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateTranexamic 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
