This brightening serum is formulated around Alpha-Arbutin and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Tranexamic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingTranexamic Acid
AstringentPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSodium Polyglutamate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising4-Butylresorcinol
AntioxidantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Oil
PerfumingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingSodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
ChelatingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Coco-Caprylate, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Polyglutamate Crosspolymer, 4-Butylresorcinol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Oil, Cyanocobalamin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Citric Acid
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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 GlycerinWater. 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