0,5% Retinol + 2% Tranexamic + 2% Licorice Extract Water Serum

Fundamentals

0,5% Retinol + 2% Tranexamic + 2% Licorice Extract Water Serum

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About this product

The Fundamentals 0,5% Retinol + 2% Tranexamic + 2% Licorice Extract Water Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 17 ingredients (13 low-risk) rates it Excellent (91/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone, dry, and sensitive skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Serums, Essence, Ampoules
Ingredients
17
Low-risk
13
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
South Africa

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 6/2
Good for dry skin
Anhydroxylitol Xylitol Xylitylglucoside Butylene Glycol Glycerin Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Caution for dry skin
Glycerin Tranexamic Acid
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 3/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Retinol Tranexamic Acid
Sensitive Skin 4/4
Good for sensitive skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Glycerin Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract Allantoin
Caution for sensitive skin
Butylene Glycol Glycerin Phenoxyethanol Retinol

Ingredients list

17 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (9)
All17 Skin Conditioning15 Humectant8 Solvent4 Fragrance3 Viscosity Controlling3 Hair Conditioning3 Skin Protecting3 Antioxidant2
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
1
A
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
Tranexamic Acid
(Cosmetic Astringent, Skin Conditioning)
glycyrrhiza glabra root extract
(Bleaching, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient, Smoothing, Soothing)
1
Anhydroxylitol
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
(Antioxidant)
1
Xylitol
(Flavoring Agent, Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing)
1
A
Allantoin
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
1
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
(Antioxidant, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
9
A
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
Xylitylglucoside
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
A
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

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Key ingredients

Antioxidants
Shields skin from free radical damage.
Retinoid
Visibly reduces the signs of aging.
Vitamin C
Brightens, evens tone, and supports collagen.
Niacinamide
Strengthens, smooths, and brightens skin.
Tranexamic Acid
Helps fade dark spots and even skin tone.

Benefits

HydratingBoosts hydration and relieves dry, tight skin.
Barrier RepairStrengthen and restore your skin's natural barrier.
Redness ReducingSoothes visible redness and calms irritation.
Scar HealingImproves the look of marks and scars.
BrighteningRestores radiance to dull, tired skin.
Reduces IrritationEases discomfort and supports skin resilience.
Dark SpotsFades dark spots for even skin tone.
Reduces Large PoresMinimizes the look of enlarged pores.

Concerns

Contains paraben
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Retinol — higher EWG

EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Propanediol
Solvent, Viscosity decreasing agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 SolventViscosity decreasing agentViscosity controlling
Tranexamic Acid
Cosmetic astringent, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Cosmetic astringentSkin conditioning
glycyrrhiza glabra root extract
Bleaching, Perfuming
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A BleachingPerfumingSkin conditioningSkin conditioning emollientSmoothingSoothing
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 HumectantSkin conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Antioxidant
Xylitol
Flavoring agent, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Flavoring agentHumectantSkin conditioning
Niacinamide
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningSmoothing
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion stabilising, Viscosity controlling
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Emulsion stabilisingViscosity controlling
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 AntioxidantHair conditioningHumectantSkin conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 HumectantSkin conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Deodorant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A DeodorantSkin conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSkin conditioningSolventViscositydecreasing agentHumectantMaskingViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Allantoin
Skin conditioning, Skin protecting
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningSkin protectingSoothing Good for Oily SkinGood for Sensitive Skin
Retinol
Skin conditioning
Potentially a skin irritantRead moreShow less
EWG 9 CIR A Skin conditioning Bad for Sensitive Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply after toner and before moisturiser — thinnest to thickest.
  • 2 Evening: Use at night — start 2–3× a week and build up as your skin tolerates it.
  • 3 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Often avoided
Retinoids (Vitamin A) (Retinol)

Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Retinoids (Vitamin A) 0.01–1%

Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.

Retinol

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Niacinamide 2–5% (up to 10%)

Most research uses 2–5%; some formulas go to 10%. Very high levels can cause flushing in sensitive skin.

Niacinamide

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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