What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Arundinaria Gigantea Leaf Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingRhodiola Rosea Root Extract
EmollientVitis Rotundifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGeranium Maculatum Extract
TonicTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Diheptyl Succinate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Squalane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Punica Granatum Seed Extract, Lactobacillus/Arundinaria Gigantea Leaf Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Citrate, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Vitis Rotundifolia Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 60, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ergothioneine
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
