This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Tranexamic 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 ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Levan
Skin ProtectingXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMorinda Citrifolia Extract
AstringentPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
Antimicrobial
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Carnitine
Cleansing
Glycine
Buffering
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Aronia Arbutifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Extract
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Taraxacum Coreanum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Skin Protecting
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Viscum Album Extract
Skin ConditioningPhaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingHydroxycinnamic Acid
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Squalane, Alcohol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycerin, Panthenol, Caffeine, Levan, Xanthophylls, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Arginine, Carnitine, Glycine, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Aronia Arbutifolia Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Extract, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Taraxacum Coreanum Flower Extract, Ferulic Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Adenosine, Viscum Album Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Ubiquinone, Glutathione, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Carbonate, Hydroxycinnamic Acid, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSqualane
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
Abrasive
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Propanediol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Squalane, Sodium Phytate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Mica, Tin Oxide, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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 PropanediolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
