What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Bellis Perennis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Alpha-Arbutin, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Bisulfite, Xanthan Gum, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phosphate
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
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
