This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Tranexamic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
ChelatingDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water
Masking
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventBetaine
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningFicus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion Stabilising3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Water, Methyl Gluceth-20, Methylpropanediol, Betaine, Tranexamic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, C12-14 Pareth-12, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Alpha-Arbutin, Tocopherol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Bisabolol, Ubiquinone, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
