What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Punica Granatum Seed Cell Culture Lysate
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Diglucosyl Gallic Acid
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Ellagic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientAcetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Skin ConditioningTetrapeptide-30
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-68
Bleaching
Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Rapa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Squalane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientSodium Oleate
CleansingFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
4-Butylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Punica Granatum Seed Cell Culture Lysate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Niacinamide, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Ellagic Acid, Tranexamic Acid, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Tetrapeptide-30, Oligopeptide-68, Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid, Glutathione, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Brassica Rapa Root Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Squalane, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Sodium Oleate, Ferulic Acid, 4-Butylresorcinol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acetyl Glucosamine is an antioxidant and humectant. It is an amino acid sugar and is naturally found in our skin.
The cool thing about this ingredient? It helps the skin produce hyaluronic acid and boost hydration. It also has antioxidant benefits to protect skin cells.
When paired with niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine has been shown to be effective at reducing discoloration.
Learn more about Acetyl GlucosamineAlpha-Arbutin is a brightening active used to fade dark spots, melasma, and post-acne marks. Structurally, it is a hydroquinone with a sugar molecule attached (but is much gentler than raw hydroquinone).
It has a pretty elegant way of working; it slots into tyrosinase, or the key enzyme that your skin uses to make melanin), and competitively blocks it so your skin produces less pigment over time.
There are two forms of arbutin and alpha is the better one to reach for: it works at lower amounts, absorbs into skin more easily, and has a strong safety record.
The science backs this up too: lab and animal studies confirm it lowers melanin by blocking tyosinase and the more you use (up to a point), the more it works.
Human studies look good too.
A 2024 trial found a cream with 5% alpha-arbutin and 2% kojic acid worked about as well as a prescription melasma cream but with fewer side effects. Another study showed 2% alpha-arbutin paired with 10% Trihydroxybenzoic Acid Glucoside and sunscreen faded dark spots and melasma without causing irritation.
Concentration-wise, most serums land in the 1-2% range.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded that alpha-arbutin is safe in face creams up to 2% and body lotions up to 0.5%.
Overall, this is a well-studied and low-irritation brightener that's a great pick for anyone dealing with uneven skin tone. It also pairs well with vitamin C, niacinamide, and sunscreen.
Learn more about Alpha-ArbutinButylene 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 GlycolFerulic 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
