Updated on June 18, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum 23 ingredients
Peace Out Dark Spots Serum 30 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum 23 ingredients
Peace Out Dark Spots Serum 30 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Antioxidant 6 Benefits
Ascorbyl Glucoside is a stable form of Vitamin C. It is created by combining glucose from starch.
Tranexamic Acid is best used for treating hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and melasma. It can also help build a stronger skin barrier.
This extract comes from the Cabbage Palm, AKA the Açaà berry! It has skin soothing, antioxidant, and anti-aging properties.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
Fragrance Preservative 6 Concerns
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Dehydroacetic Acid is fungicide and bactericide. It is used as a preservative in cosmetics. Preservatives help elongate the shelf life of a product.
Lactobacillus Ferment is created by fermenting the Lactobacillus bacteria. It helps keep our skin's natural barrier and microbiome healthy.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tranexamic Acid, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Olivate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lecithin, Squalane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Polysorbate 60, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sorbitan Isostearate
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.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
6 Benefits 3 Concerns
Lactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.
Diglycerin is a humectant. It is derived from glycerin, which is naturally found in your skin.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
2 Benefits 2 Concerns
Mandelic Acid helps exfoliate skin. It also contains antioxidant properties.
Tranexamic Acid is best used for treating hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and melasma. It can also help build a stronger skin barrier.
2 Benefits
Alpha-Arbutin is made from hydroquinone and glucose. It may also be derived from the fermentation of soybeans.
7 Benefits 2 Concerns
Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with a ton of research to back up its benefits.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
2 Concerns
Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is created from fatty coconut alcohol, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is a polymer and used to help stabilize other ingredients.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
2 Benefits
Kojic acid comes from fungi and can also be from fermented foods. It helps even out skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation.
3 Benefits
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant (it's vegan!). It is often called the replacement for retinol although it is not part of the same family.
5 Benefits
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Water, Propanediol, Lactic Acid, Diglycerin, Squalane, Triheptanoin, Mandelic Acid, Tranexamic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Niacinamide, Sodium PCA, Kojic Acid, Bakuchiol, Nonapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-34, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Sodium Carbonate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinTranexamic Acid is best used for treating hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and melasma. It can also help build a stronger skin barrier.
Once applied, Tranexamic Acid starts decreasing inflammation from UV exposure. Tranexamic Acid also prevents our skin cells from meeting the pigment production cells.
Fun fact: Tranexamic Acid is also a medication used to reduce heavy bleeding.
This acid is derived from lysine, an amino acid.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideCetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent oils and waters from separating. It can also
Manufacturers use the name Olivem 1000. This ingredient has been found to preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria. This ingredient is grouped with Sorbitan Olivate under the name Olivem 1000.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
Sorbitan Olivate is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
Manufacturers sell sorbitan olivate under the name OliveM 1000. OliveM 1000 a multifunctional ingredient. It is self-emulsifying. According to a manufacturer, OliveM 1000 does not disrupt natural skin biome.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateSqualane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.
Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.
Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).
In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.
The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.
Is squalane vegan?
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Learn more about SqualaneEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum 23 ingredients
Peace Out Dark Spots Serum 30 ingredients
Reviews
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