What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Potassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Xylitol
Humectant
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingRosa Multiflora Fruit Extract
MaskingSilica
Abrasive
Serine
Masking
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hypericum Perforatum Extract
AntimicrobialPyrola Incarnata Extract
Skin ConditioningPotentilla Erecta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine Hcl
Glycerin
Humectant
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isodecyl Acrylate
Sodium N-Isostearoyl Methyltaurate
CleansingTetradecane
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPetrolatum
Emollient
Maltitol
HumectantPEG-100
HumectantHydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Beheneth-30
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
BHT
Antioxidant
Menthol
Masking
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Tranexamic Acid, Xylitol, Lauryl Betaine, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Silica, Serine, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Pyrola Incarnata Extract, Potentilla Erecta Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Glucosamine Hcl, Glycerin, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Isodecyl Acrylate, Sodium N-Isostearoyl Methyltaurate, Tetradecane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Petrolatum, Maltitol, PEG-100, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Myristyl Myristate, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Stearyl Alcohol, Beheneth-30, Butylene Glycol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, BHT, Menthol, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Alcohol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
PEG-8
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
EDTA
Styrene/Vp Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, PEG-8, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, EDTA, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDipropylene 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic Acid
