This smoothing serum is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Ascorbic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil to hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycolic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Pantolactone
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Alumina
Abrasive
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Mica, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Pantolactone, Xanthan Gum, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Alumina, Tin Oxide, CI 77491, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
