This smoothing serum is formulated around Gluconolactone and Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
This smoothing overnight mask is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Phytic 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 ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Phytic Acid
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Nylon-12
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycolic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Phytic Acid, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Nylon-12, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Jojoba Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Salicylic Acid, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Polyglycerin-3, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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 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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural “glue” that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (that’s where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But don’t skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless you’re highly sensitive, it’s well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant.
It is used to help stabilize other antioxidants or prevent the color from changing in a product.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Thus, antioxidants may reduce the signs of aging.
This ingredient is oil-soluble.
Learn more about Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl HydroxyhydrocinnamatePhenoxyethanol 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
