What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Grape Fruit Extract
HumectantCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Grape Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Decyltetradecyl Ether, Sodium Paraben, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water
Masking
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingTranexamic Acid
Astringent
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Octanediol
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Fullerenes
AntimicrobialArbutin
Antioxidant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Trehalose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Panthenol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, C12-14 Pareth-12, Tranexamic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Octanediol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Lactobionic Acid, Glyceryl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyanocobalamin, Pvp, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Caprylyl Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Fullerenes, Arbutin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Phytosterols, Ascorbyl Glucoside
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDipropylene 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 Glycerin
