What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phloretin
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Lycopene
Antioxidant
Xanthophylls
Skin ConditioningThioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Juice Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Juice Extract
TonicXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Phloretin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Tocotrienols, Astaxanthin, Lycopene, Xanthophylls, Thioctic Acid, Beta-Carotene, Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Juice Extract, Citrus Limon Juice Extract, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid
Camellia Sinensis Leaf
Perfuming
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Undaria Pinnatifida Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Salicylate
Preservative
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit
EmollientAstaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Ascorbic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Undaria Pinnatifida Cell Culture Extract, Sodium Salicylate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Potassium Sorbate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Thioctic Acid, Glutathione, Ubiquinone, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit, Astaxanthin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidAstaxanthin is a carotene pigment and red pigment. It is a promising antioxidant with a ton of skin benefits.
This antioxidant has great anti-aging benefits by blocking the following:
Astaxanthin is also great at soothing skin due to its ability to block molecules that signal inflammation. It is currently being studied for preventing chronic inflammatory diseases.
Plus, a study from 2012 found Astaxanthin in liposomes protected mouse skin from UV-damage.
Fun fact: Astaxanthin is responsible for giving salmon a pink color.
Learn more about AstaxanthinFerulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.
A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.
A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:
As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.
Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.
Learn more about Ferulic AcidSodium 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 HyaluronateThioctic Acid is an enzyme and antioxidant. A more common name for this is Alpha Lipoic Acid.
Alpha Lipoic Acid can be naturally found in the mitochondria of every cell.
Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. The antioxidants in Alpha Lipoic Acid have been shown to fight damage from cigarette smoke.
Studies also show Alpha Lipoic Acid plays a role in wound healing.
Thioctic Acid will break down when exposed to sunlight.
Many foods contain thioctic acid, including tomato, brussel sprouts, spinach, and broccoli.
Learn more about Thioctic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
