Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

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The INKEY List Alpha Arbutin Serum Versus Topicals Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum

The INKEY List Alpha Arbutin Serum Versus Topicals Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum Detailed comparison of The INKEY List Alpha Arbutin Serum versus Topicals Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum. This brightening serum is formulated around Alpha-Arbutin to fad

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The INKEY List Alpha Arbutin Serum Versus Topicals Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum Detailed comparison of The INKEY List Alpha Arbutin Serum versus Topicals Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum. This brightening serum is formulated around Alpha-Arbutin to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Tranexamic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. Water Butylene Glycol Propanediol Glycerin Alpha-Arbutin Dicaprylyl Carbonate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Phenoxyethanol Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Caprylyl Glycol Squalane Phospholipids Glycine Soja Oil Carbomer Polysorbate 60 Sodium Phytate Glycolipids Sorbitan Isostearate Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Sodium Hydroxide Glycine Soja Sterols Hyaluronic Acid Tocopherol Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Alpha-Arbutin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Squalane, Phospholipids, Glycine Soja Oil, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycine Soja Sterols, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol Niacinamide Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Tranexamic Acid Glyceryl Stearate Arbutin Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Behenyl Alcohol Glyceryl Behenate Kojic Acid Oxidized Glutathione Ceteareth-20 Lecithin Sclerotium Gum Zinc Ricinoleate Arginine Hcl Azelaic Acid Ceteareth-12 Cetearyl Alcohol Cetyl Palmitate Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine Curcuma Longa Root Extract Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Phytic Acid Allantoin Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate Ethylhexylglycerin Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract Melatonin Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tranexamic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Arbutin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Behenate, Kojic Acid, Oxidized Glutathione, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Zinc Ricinoleate, Arginine Hcl, Azelaic Acid, Squalane, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phytic Acid, Allantoin, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Melatonin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Be the first to review These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel. While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns. Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source. This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out. This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%. 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. Phenoxyethanol 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 showe