This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Alpha-Arbutin to fade the look of dark spots and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicGluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
AstringentPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSiloxanetriol Alginate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sorbic Acid
PreservativeBee Venom
AstringentSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Niacinamide, Alpha-Arbutin, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Gluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Polyglutamic Acid, Caffeine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Siloxanetriol Alginate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sorbic Acid, Bee Venom, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Poly(C6-12 Olefin)
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningPEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
PreservativeSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingPropylparaben
PreservativePhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
ChelatingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-12 Olefin), Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Sodium Hyaluronate, Behenyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Propylparaben, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Arachidyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, 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.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium 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 Water