What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
Heptyl Glucoside
SurfactantArbutin
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Crithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningArctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Crithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate
Skin ProtectingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Pistacia Lentiscus Gum Oil
Antimicrobial
PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Hexylresorcinol, Heptyl Glucoside, Arbutin, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Kojic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum Oil, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arbutin is derived from the bearberry plant. It helps even out skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation.
This ingredient has the ability to block tyrosinase, an enzyme that starts the process of skin darkening. When applied to the skin, arbutin works at a slow pace. This can make it less irritating than similar ingredients.
Kojic Acid is a similar ingredient.
Learn more about 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
