Shiseido Future Solution LX Concentrated Brightening Softener Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum

Shiseido Future Solution LX Concentrated Brightening Softener Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum

This brightening toner is formulated around 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin.

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Betaine

Dimethicone

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

PEG-20

Potassium Methoxysalicylate

Piperidinepropionic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Erythritol

PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether

PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Lauryl Betaine

2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Prunus Speciosa Leaf Extract

Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract

Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Isodonis Japonicus Leaf/Stalk Extract

Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract

Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract

Prunus Persica Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Silk

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Carbomer

Butylene Glycol

Isostearic Acid

Isohexadecane

PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate

Potassium Hydroxide

Alcohol

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Polysorbate 80

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sorbitan Oleate

Trisodium EDTA

Sodium Metaphosphate

Linalool

Limonene

Sodium Metabisulfite

Citronellol

Geraniol

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Benzyl Benzoate

Tocopherol

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

Parfum

CI 77491

CI 77492

Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20, Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Piperidinepropionic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Erythritol, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Lauryl Betaine, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Prunus Speciosa Leaf Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Isodonis Japonicus Leaf/Stalk Extract, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Prunus Persica Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Isostearic Acid, Isohexadecane, PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Alcohol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polysorbate 80, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Metaphosphate, Linalool, Limonene, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citronellol, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, CI 77491, CI 77492

Bifida Ferment Lysate

PEG-8

Propanediol

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Methyl Gluceth-20

Glycereth-26

PEG-75

Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract

Tripeptide-32

Sodium Hyaluronate

Faex Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Cola Acuminata Seed Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Algin

Pantethine

Caffeine

Lecithin

Sodium Rna

Bisabolol

Squalane

Oleth-3 Phosphate

Caprylyl Glycol

Oleth-3

Oleth-5

Choleth-24

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters

Ceteth-24

Triethanolamine

Tetrasodium EDTA

BHT

Potassium Sorbate

Disodium EDTA

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, PEG-8, Propanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycereth-26, PEG-75, Butylene Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate, Faex Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Pantethine, Caffeine, Lecithin, Sodium Rna, Bisabolol, Squalane, Glycerin, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-3, Oleth-5, Choleth-24, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Ceteth-24, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140

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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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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 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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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!

Xanthan 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.

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