What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Glutathione
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentResveratrol
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, Azelaic Acid, Propanediol, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Kojic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Glutathione, Allantoin, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Squalane, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Arbutin, Punica Granatum Extract, Resveratrol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceArbutin is a naturally occurring molecule (found in bearberry, cranberry, and blueberry) that is used in skincare as a gentle brightening agent to fade dark spots, melasma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Chemically, it is a sugar-bound form of hydroquinone.
It works mainly by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme your skin uses to make melanin. This means less new pigment gets produced over time.
There are two forms you'll see on labels: beta-arbutin (listed as just "Arbutin") and alpha-arbutin (the more stable and effective of the two).
The evidence behind this is solid: it's less cytotoxic to melanocytes than hydroquinone and comparably effective with kojic acid for hyperpigmentation.
One human study using a 10% solution reduced UVR-induced hyperpigmentation by 43.5% (jumping to 63.3% when paired with aloesin).
More recent clinical work backs it up too; a 2025 study on a 5% alpha-arbutin + 2% kojic acid cream found it comparable to triple combination prescription formulas but with lower recurrence for melasma.
Typical usage in cosmetics serums land in the 1-2% range.
It's a well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-photoreactive ingredient that also gives some antioxidant benefits too.
Learn more about ArbutinGlutathione is a tiny protein-like molecule (a "tripeptide" build from 3 amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid) that your body already makes on its own.
Inside your body, it acts as one of the skin's main antioxidants that help fight against free radicals.
In skincare, it's best known as a brightening ingredient that slows down tyrosinase, the key enzyme that makes skin pigment. It also nudges the skin toward making a lighter type of pigment instead of a darker one.
This is why you'll see it in products aimed at dark spots and uneven tone.
A small number of real human trials have found a topical glutathione lotion:
The honest caveat is that the current evidence is still thin (few studies, small groups, short timelines). Glutathione also doesn't absorb into skin very easily so results tend to be modest and fade if you stop using it.
One thing worth clearing up:
The scary side effects you may have heard about come from glutathione injected intravenously, which has real safety concerns. Applying it topically is a completely different thing and has a clean track record.
Most human studies used it around 2% (as Glutathione or Glutathione Disulfide) and a 2% oxidized glutathione lotion and a 2% S-acyl glutathione cream are the concentrations with actual clinical data behind them.
There's no established "ideal" percentage yet but 1-2% is the evidence-backed range.
Allergy-wise, there is very low risk for this ingredient; it was well-tolerated across the topical trials. Only one participant had mild temporary redness that cleared up on its own and another study reported no adverse reactions at all.
One trial had ~10% of users drop out for irritation was using a combination cream that also had 10% azelaic acid so the irritation likely wasn't from the glutathione. There's no notable contact-allergy signal for topical glutathione in the literature but patch-testing before first use is still sensible for those with sensitive skin.
Learn more about GlutathioneHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSqualane 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
