What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAcetyl Zingerone
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Glycine
CleansingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPlantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Squalane
EmollientSodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Ergothioneine
AntioxidantPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentTocopherol
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acetyl Zingerone, Palmitoyl Glycine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Caprylate, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Ergothioneine, Punica Granatum Extract, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Xanthan Gum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantTranexamic Acid
AstringentCaprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingIsomalt
HumectantVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlutathione
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
AntioxidantInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPhytol
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingSorbic Acid
PreservativeMaltodextrin
AbsorbentDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSodium Phosphate
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tranexamic Acid, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isomalt, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glutathione, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Sodium PCA, Tocopherol, Water, Citric Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Phytol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Maltodextrin, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phosphate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl Glucoside is a surfactant and emulsifier. It can be produced from synthetic of natural sources of cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating, such as oils and waters. It can also be used to enhance the texture of products.
As a surfactant, Cetearyl Glucoside helps during the cleansing process. By gathering all the dirt and oils, it allows these molecules to be washed away easily.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water