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Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum Versus IMAGE skincare Iluma Intense Brightening Serum

Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum Versus IMAGE skincare Iluma Intense Brightening Serum This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This brightening serum is formulated arou

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum Versus IMAGE skincare Iluma Intense Brightening Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

This brightening serum is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Arbutin to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Ceratonia Siliqua Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin

Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Algae Extract

Artemisia Vulgaris Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract

Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer

Hexylresorcinol

Arbutin

Azelaic Acid

Sucrose Palmitate

Pueraria Tuberosa Leaf Cell Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Hydrolyzed Corallina Officinalis

Morus Alba Leaf Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Echinacea Purpurea Extract

Rumex Occidentalis Extract

Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Salix Nigra Bark Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Xanthan Gum

Polysorbate 20

Potassium Sorbate

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Citric Acid

Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate

Water, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Algae Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Hexylresorcinol, Arbutin, Azelaic Acid, Sucrose Palmitate, Pueraria Tuberosa Leaf Cell Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Hydrolyzed Corallina Officinalis, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Carrageenan is a gel-forming sugar chain pulled out of red seaweed. In skincare, it's a texture ingredient rather than an active that:
  4. 04Formulators typically use it around 0.1-2% but go up to 5% in thick gel masks or toothpaste-style products.
  5. 05It's a very large molecule that doesn't meaningfully get through intact skin and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it's safe at current use levels.
  6. 06True allergy is rare and there are only two published cases from internal/mucosal exposure rather than anything topical. Most of the scary internet content about Carrageenan is actually about poligeenan (also called "degraded carrageenan").
  7. 07Poligeenan is a deliberately acid-broken down version that isn't food or cosmetic grade.
  8. 08Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  9. 09Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
  10. 10It plays several roles in a formula:
  11. 11Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
  12. 12Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
  13. 13However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
  14. 14Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
  15. 15Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
  16. 16Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
  17. 17This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
  18. 18A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
  19. 19Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  20. 20Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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