What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicLactic Acid
Buffering
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Litchi Chinensis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGold
Cosmetic ColorantGlutathione
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acetyl Cysteine
Antioxidant
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Sorbitol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Lecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Lactic Acid, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Litchi Chinensis Seed Extract, Mangifera Indica Leaf Extract, Gold, Glutathione, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acetyl Cysteine, Sodium Sulfite, Sorbitol, Citric Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Lecithin, Pullulan, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid 23%
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Glutathione
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentTocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningWater, Ascorbic Acid 23%, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Panthenol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Caffeine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Sulfite, Disodium EDTA, Glutathione, Adenosine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Dextrin, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Methyl Trimethicone, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene
Reviews
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 AcidAscorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidGlutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in our bodies. It is made up of three amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid.
As an antioxidant, it prevents oxidative damage to parts of our cell.
While glutathione is said to help with fading dark spots, the results from research are inconclusive. Further studies are needed. With that said, gluthatione has been shown to protect our skin from UV-B induced damage.
This ingredient is naturally occurring in plants, animals, fungi, and some bacteria.
Learn more about GlutathionePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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 PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Sulfite is a preservative. Preservatives help prevent mold and bacteria from growing in cosmetics.
This ingredient has been shown to break the bonds in hair, acting as a natural straightener.
It is commonly used in food. It should be noted sodium sulfite degrades both vitamins B1 and E.
Fun fact: Sulfites are naturally occuring in wine.
Learn more about Sodium SulfiteWater. 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
