What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide 5%
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate 2%
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid 1%
Antimicrobial
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Rna
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lidocaine Hcl
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Niacinamide 5%, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate 2%, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ferulic Acid 1%, Ubiquinone, Betaine, Sodium Rna, Sodium Lactate, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lidocaine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lecithin, Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Glyceryl Linolenate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 15%
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate 3%
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Algin
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Succinic Acid
BufferingWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 15%, Glycerin, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate 3%, Trehalose, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phosphatidylcholine, Dimethicone, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Algin, Lactic Acid, Succinic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is a version of ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C.
This ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
It helps with dark spot fading by interfering with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. Like other forms of vitamin C, this ingredient encourages the skin to create more collagen.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
One study found Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate to degrade in sunlight, but is stabilized when combined with acetyl zingerone.
Learn more about Ascorbyl TetraisopalmitateGlycerin (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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
