What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydrosulfite
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydrosulfite, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Rumex Occidentalis Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Rhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Tranexamic Acid 0.3%
Astringent
Hyaluronic Acid 0.3%
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid 0.3%
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Rhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Tranexamic Acid 0.3%, Hyaluronic Acid 0.3%, Ascorbic Acid 0.3%, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, EDTA, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 42090
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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 AcetateTranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
