This brightening essence is formulated around Propolis Extract and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and calm redness.
This brightening night moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol to fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propolis Extract 75%
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycereth-26
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentFragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentAronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningJuniperus Communis Fruit Extract
PerfumingSapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Propolis Extract 75%, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Glycereth-26, Water, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Betaine, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Adenosine, Honey Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract, Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract, Sapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningIsobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
BleachingGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlucosylrutin
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingIsoquercitrin
AntioxidantTrisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Isononanoate, Squalane, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methylpropanediol, Lauroyl Lysine, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Tocopherol, Glucosylrutin, Carbomer, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Isoquercitrin, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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