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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Topicals Faded Serum versus Garden of Wisdom Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on May 29, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 3 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum American Brand United States
Serum Brand

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Faded Serum

Starts at $38.00
Shop

Buy Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (5)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (4)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (4)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Niacinamide

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (4)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Topicals Faded Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Garden of Wisdom Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Topicals Faded Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

Garden of Wisdom Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Antioxidant, Bleaching, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Alpha-Arbutin is made from hydroquinone and glucose. It may be derived from the fermentation of soybeans.

It is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may damage your skin cells.

Studies show this ingredient helps improve hyperpigmentation and fade discoloration.

Alpha-Arbutin may be used with other ingredients that help with hyperpigmentation. These ingredients include retinol, Vitamin C, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid.

Learn more about Alpha-Arbutin

Topicals Faded Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.

Garden of Wisdom Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

43% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
32% are disliked or very disliked
11% have no rating yet
83% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
17% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Topicals Faded Serum 37 ingredients

4.4 /5
from 5 ratings
Irritating (2) Strong Scent (2) Works Well (2) Great Value (1)
AshN.'s avatar

AshN.

3 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

(Tried Nov 2022) One of the few brightening creams that I tried where I actually saw results. I only ever applied this as a spot treatment and not...

(Tried Nov 2022) One of the few brightening creams that I tried where I actually saw results. I only ever applied this as a spot treatment and not all over. Giving it 4 stars because I did find it slightly irritating and the smell was rather strong, so I ended up switching over to applying it as needed. I think the $18 Mini version was more than enough for me!

bsabrina's avatar

bsabrina

11 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

give it time to fade dark spots-glowy skin comes faster
Love this product. I was worried about all the actives in it because of my sensitive skin,...

give it time to fade dark spots-glowy skin comes faster
Love this product. I was worried about all the actives in it because of my sensitive skin, but I had no reactions or breakouts. It takes some time to fade dark spots & acne scars but after a few weeks (3-4) they should be noticeably lighter or almost gone. I noticed my skin seemed glowier and more clarified within a week or two. No noticeable difference for improving acne

Garden of Wisdom Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum 6 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 rating

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 19 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Topicals Faded Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 38 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Garden of Wisdom Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum.

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