This smoothing serum is formulated around Gluconolactone and Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Betula Alba Juice
AstringentGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Gossypium Herbaceum Fruit Water
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingGluconic Acid
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract
Cleansing
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Extract
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Perfuming
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Isododecane
EmollientPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Dimethylhydroxy Furanone
MaskingVanillin
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Betula Alba Juice, Gluconolactone, Glycolic Acid, Gossypium Herbaceum Fruit Water, Lactic Acid, Isoamyl Laurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Gluconic Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Santalum Album Extract, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Triethyl Citrate, Isododecane, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Dimethylhydroxy Furanone, Vanillin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Bentonite
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Coffea Robusta Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCupressus Sempervirens Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCommiphora Myrrha Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Petroselinum Crispum Seed Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Algin
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 77491, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Limonene, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Linalool, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Coffea Robusta Seed Extract, Carbomer, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, CI 77499, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Papain, Petroselinum Crispum Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Algin, Potassium Sorbate
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
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWater. 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
