What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Honey
Humectant
Sericin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Yogurt Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
C20 Olefin
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium N-Isostearoyl Methyltaurate
CleansingPetrolatum
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Stearic Acid Sulfate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
3-Hydroxybenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningTranexamic Acid, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Honey, Sericin, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Yogurt Extract, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Glyceryl Ethylhexanoate, Paraffinum Liquidum, C20 Olefin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium N-Isostearoyl Methyltaurate, Petrolatum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Stearic Acid Sulfate, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Alcohol Denat., Phenoxyethanol, 3-Hydroxybenzoic Acid
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyethylene
Abrasive
PPG-8-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Batyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-90
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyethylene, PPG-8-Ceteth-20, Behenyl Alcohol, Methicone, Triethylhexanoin, Glycerin, Batyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Behenic Acid, PEG-90, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-51, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Metabisulfite, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholDipropylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPeg-8 Dimethicone is a water-soluble silicone. It reduces tackiness, boosts moisture, and enhances the spreadability of products.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateSodium metabisulfite is also known as Sodium Pyrosulfite. It is a preservative, antioxidant, and disinfectant.
As a preservative, it helps stabilize cosmetic formulas without affecting their color or scent.
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 AcidWater. 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
