Donna Karan DONNA BELLA Instant Brightening Cream
- Moisturizing
- Anti-aging
- Anti-oxidation
- Exfoliation
- +2 more
- Vitamin C
- Retinoid, derivative of vitamin A
- dimethicone
- sodium hyaluronate
- +3 more

Price comparison
Can the product deliver on its promises?
Promise
What does the product description say?WIMJ summary for moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
sodium hyaluronate, butylene glycol.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: dimethicone, cetearyl alcohol.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
HIGH | |||
MEDIUM
|
WIMJ summary for anti-blemish
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: retinol. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH |
WIMJ summary for anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
HIGH | |||
LOW
|
WIMJ summary for evens skin tone
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: retinol.
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
HIGH |
WIMJ summary for exfoliation
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: retinol.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH |
WIMJ summary for anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
LOW
| |||
HIGH |
How honest is this product?
Promise | Can it deliver? |
---|---|
Moisturizing | |
Anti-aging | |
Anti-oxidation | |
Exfoliation | |
Evens skin tone | |
Anti-blemish |
Potential irritants

Ingredient | Irritancy | Skin Benefit |
---|---|---|
ceteareth-20 | ||
gold | ||
retinol |
Ingredients by volume
Ingredient | Estimated concentration |
---|---|
Plain old water
| 45% - 55% |
Used to create a nice product consistency while softening the upper layer of the skin
| 5% - 6.2% |
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
| 4.6% - 5.6% |
Show more |
Questions
Skincare resources
Scientific Sources
- Safety Assessment of Pentaerythrityl Tetraesters as Used in Cosmetics
- Dimethicone as a protective ingredient in topical medications
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyol
- Final report on the safety assessment of PPG-11 and PPG-15 stearyl ethers
- Vitamin E in dermatology
- Vitamin E and Skin Health
- Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety
- Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol)
- A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin
- Antioxidant Activity of Myrtus communis L. and Myrtus nivellei Batt. & Trab. Extracts: A Brief Review
- Antimicrobial and antioxidative activity of extracts and essential oils of Myrtus communis L.
- Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging
- Hyaluronan (Hyaluronic Acid): a natural moisturizer for skin care
- Safety Assessment of Isoparaffins as Used in Cosmetics