What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hydroquinone 4%
Stabilising
Kojic Acid 4%
Antioxidant
Azelaic Acid 3%
Buffering
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientC13-15 Alkane
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyurethane-39
Stearyl Behenate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Benzoic Acid 0.09%
Masking
Sorbic Acid 0.09%
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroquinone 4%, Kojic Acid 4%, Azelaic Acid 3%, Resveratrol, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Isohexadecane, Isododecane, C13-15 Alkane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Polyurethane-39, Stearyl Behenate, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Bisulfite, Benzoic Acid 0.09%, Sorbic Acid 0.09%, BHT, Propanediol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Hydroquinone is a classic ingredient dermatologists use to fade dark spots (things like melasma, acne marks, sun spots, and freckles).
It works in two ways:
1. By blocking an enzyme called tyrosinase; your skin uses this to make melanin, or the pigment that causes dark spots.
2. By interfering with the pigment making cells themselves so less pigment shows up over time
Just know this ingredient fades spots near the surface of skin and not the deeper ones. It's usually used at 2-4% / twice a day for 3 months, and ALWAYS with sunscreen.
This ingredient is usually well tolerated with short-term use under medical guidance. But possible reactions include irritation, contact dermatitis, and lightening of the skin around the spot you're treating.
You might hear hydroquinone called "cancer-causing". That concern comes from studies where rats were fed high oral doses; no skin cancer cases have been linked to it after more than 50 years of people putting it on their skin.
Long-term, high-strength, and unsupervised use can lead to a condition called ochronosis. This is where the skin turns blue-grey color and sometimes causes nails to turn dark as well.
The rules around it vary by country.
The EU bans it in regular cosmetics and it is prescription only in the US, EU, Japan, Canada, and Australia. Anything you see on the shelf without a prescription is technically not allowed.
Check out the European alternative to hydroquinone here.
SkinSort would like to remind friends from around the world that all skin tones are beautiful!
Learn more about HydroquinonePolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
