This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
This brightening serum is formulated around Arbutin and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Ascorbic Acid 10%
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 3%
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate 2%
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Aspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil
Astringent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentTocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Ascorbic Acid 10%, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glycerin, Alcohol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 3%, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate 2%, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Allantoin, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Squalane, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Tocotrienols, Gluconolactone, Fructooligosaccharides, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Alcohol Denat., Phenethyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
