THE LAB by blanc doux Green Flavonoid 5.0 Serum Versus THE LAB by blanc doux Green Flavonoid 2.5 Solution
This serum is formulated around Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to fight breakouts and control oil.
This calming toner is formulated around Portulaca Oleracea Extract and Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingSodium Citrate
BufferingGlucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
MaskingDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventSodium Phytate
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglycerin-3, Tromethamine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Sodium Phytate, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
MaskingGlucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Citrate, Ceramide NP, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
This ingredient comes from the peel of the satsuma mandarin fruit native to Japan.
Unlike other citrus ingredients, this one is not known to cause photosensitivity. This is because the citrus ingredients that cause sensitivity are high in furanocoumarins. When exposed to UV, furocoumarins bind to and destabilize your DNA, speeding up the rate of sunburn.
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract is unique in that the peel contains very low levels of furanocoumarins and tested products with this ingredient confirmed no detectable furanocoumarins.
The peel is rich in antioxidants and lab studies show it can help brighten skin by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin production.
One study on the fermented version of this ingredient found it could help reduce UVA-induced collagen breakdown. Though it is worth noting that while results are promising, robust human clinical trials are still needed.
This ingredient naturally contains limonene and other aromatic compounds that make it a perfuming ingredient.
The official COSING database only lists this ingredient as having "Perfuming" properties at this time. The brightening, antioxidant, and skin conditioning benefits that brands market come from the research literature and from how formulators choose to use the ingredient.
Learn more about Citrus Unshiu Peel ExtractWe don't have a description for Glucosyl Hesperidin yet.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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