This brightening serum is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Salicylic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Glycerin
Humectant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Citric Acid, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glycerin, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyquaternium-67
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Reviews
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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
