
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Brightening serum with Viniferine
FEATURES
98% natural origin ingredients, Dermatologically tested, Non-photosensitising, Oil free, Suitable for pregnant women
BEST FOR
all skin types
CHECKS
Free of oil, parabens, silicones, sulfates
Who Is It For?
All AdultsWhat Does It Help With?
Dark Spots Hyperpigmentation Uneven Skin Tone BrighteningBudget
Premium ($76-$150)How To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What Caudalie Says
Product Description:
A brightening serum that visibly reduces the appearance of dark spots caused by sun exposure, aging, acne, pregnancy and blue light. The non-irritating vitamin C alternative works to visibly brighten and even skin tone on all skin types, including sensitive skin.
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
aqua,butylene-glycol,glycerin,cococaprylate-caprate,squalane,palmitoyl-grapevine-shoot-extract,polyglyceryl-3-distearate,bisabolol,glyceryl-stearate,xanthan-gum,caprylyl-glycol,microcrystalline-cellulose,polyacrylate-crosspolymer-6,potassium-sorbate,glyceryl-stearate-citrate,citric-acid,sodium-phytate,sodium-hydroxide,parfum
Key Ingredients
Viniferine,squalane,glycerin
Ingredients Details
Bisabolol
Common Name(s): Alpha-bisabolol,levomenol,(-)-alpha-bisabolol
CAS Number: 515-69-5
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Reduces skin inflammation, soothes irritation, promotes wound healing, and enhances penetration of co-formulated actives.
Why It's Used: Premium natural soothing active with combined anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and penetration-enhancing activity โ clinically validated across sensitive, reactive, and irritated skin types.
How It Works: Inhibits nf-kb pathway reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines il-1ฮฒ, il-6, tnf-ฮฑ. enhances stratum corneum lipid fluidity increasing penetration of co-delivered actives. antimicrobial against s. aureus and c. albicans. promotes keratinocyte migration for wound healing.
Typically Found In: Sensitive skin products,post-procedure formulations,anti-irritant formulas,wound healing
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ soothing / anti-inflammatory
Secondary Functions: Anti-inflammatory,penetration enhancement,antimicrobial
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ1%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ from candeia tree (vanillosmopsis erythropappa) or synthetic
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Natural (-)-alpha-bisabolol from brazilian candeia tree is more sustainable and potent than chamomile-derived bisabolol. synthetic (ยฑ)-bisabolol is racemic with slightly lower anti-inflammatory potency.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; ideal for reactive and sensitive skin.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes โ particularly recommended for sensitive skin
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Ceramides,panthenol,allantoin,hyaluronic acid,centella asiatica
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Bisabolol's dual function as both an anti-inflammatory and a penetration enhancer is synergistic โ by reducing the inflammatory response that increases barrier tightness while simultaneously fluidizing stratum corneum lipids, it provides enhanced delivery of co-formulated actives in the very conditions where delivery is most needed.
Last Verified: Cosing database,piazza et al. bisabolol anti-inflammatory study,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Butylene Glycol
Common Name(s): 1,3-butanediol,bg,1,3-butylene glycol
CAS Number: 107-88-0
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides humectant hydration and active ingredient solubilization with excellent skin feel.
Why It's Used: Preferred glycol humectant in premium and k-beauty formulations for superior skin feel vs propylene glycol with equivalent functionality.
How It Works: Two hydroxyl groups at 1,3-positions provide water binding and solvent activity. better tolerated than propylene glycol with minimal sensitization risk. 4-carbon backbone provides slightly greater hydrophobic character enabling dissolution of less polar actives vs pg.
Typically Found In: Toners,essences,serums,k-beauty formulas
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ glycol humectant
Secondary Functions: Tewl reduction,skin plumping
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
K-beauty's preference for butylene glycol over propylene glycol is driven by two factors: bg's superior skin feel (less tacky than pg's higher viscosity) and its lower sensitization potential (1,3-bg has better spatial distribution of hydroxyl groups that reduces protein interaction vs pg's 1,2-position oh groups).
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Caprylyl Glycol
Common Name(s): 1,2-octanediol,octanediol,sensiva sc 50
CAS Number: 1117-86-8
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides the most potent antimicrobial diol activity alongside skin feel enhancement.
Why It's Used: Premium antimicrobial diol โ caprylyl glycol's c8 chain provides the strongest membrane-disrupting antimicrobial activity of common diol preservative boosters with unique skin-feel enhancement.
How It Works: C8 1,2-diol: c8 chain length provides strongest bacterial and fungal membrane disruption of common diols. emollient skin feel improvement from c8 chain length interaction with skin surface. active at lower concentrations than shorter-chain diols. synergistic with ethylhexylglycerin.
Typically Found In: Natural preservation systems,skin feel enhancement
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ antimicrobial humectant
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ1%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Caprylyl glycol's antimicrobial potency follows the chain-length dependent membrane activity of fatty acids: c8 is the optimal chain length for membrane disruption (same as caprylic acid's antimicrobial optimum), providing maximum membrane integration without the skin sensitisation associated with longer chain lengths. this chain-length pharmacophore relationship is why c8 > c6 > c5 in diol antimicrobial potency despite identical head group chemistry.
Last Verified: Cosing database,schรผlke sensiva sc 50 technical data,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Cococaprylate Caprate
Common Name(s): Cococaprylate caprate
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Smooths and softens skin by filling intercorneocyte spaces, reducing friction, and providing a pleasant aesthetic skin feel in formulations.
Why It's Used: Synthetic esters provide tailored aesthetic properties โ spreadability, skin feel, volatility, refractive index โ that natural oils alone cannot consistently deliver.
How It Works: The ester molecule fills microscopic surface irregularities between corneocytes, reducing coefficient of friction, reflecting light uniformly, and providing a lubrication layer that protects the skin surface.
Typically Found In: Moisturizers,sunscreens,color cosmetics,body lotions,lip products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Synthetic emollients
Secondary Functions: Emollient
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1โ20%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetically produced ester emollient; no animal components.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1899-12-31 00:00:00 -0800
Comedogenicity Rating: 1899-12-31 00:00:00 -0800
Sensitivity Concerns: Low sensitization potential at recommended use concentrations.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. generally non-irritating at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.
Works Well With: Silicones,uv filters,other emollients
Avoid Combining With: Strongly alkaline conditions (risk of saponification of ester-type emollients)
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
The spreading coefficient of an emollient is governed by its surface tension, viscosity, and polarity. esters with branched alkyl chains (e.g., isopropyl, isostearyl) spread rapidly and leave a non-tacky film; linear long-chain esters provide more substantive moisturization. hlb value determines the preferred formulation system (w/o vs o/w emulsions).
Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature
Primary Sources: 2025-01-15