What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantLauryl Betaine
CleansingBetaine
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Glycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lauryl Betaine, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propolis Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Madecassoside, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Linalool, Limonene
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Surfactant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Powder
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Vigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Betaine
Humectant
Polyquaternium-39
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Glycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Powder, Lauryl Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Alcohol, Betaine, Polyquaternium-39, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is one of the most researched botanical extracts in skincare with decades of studies backing its effects on inflammation, collagen, and the skin barrier.
That research keeps pointing back to the same four triterpenoid saponins: Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid.
These compounds allow centella to dial back inflammation, encourage the skin to build and hold onto collagen, support the barrier and hydration, and bring solid antioxidant activity to protect against signs of aging.
Centella also carries a nice supporting cast of Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and amino acids. Put it all together and you get an ingredient that soothes, hydrates, and protects, all at once.
Most of centella's magic comes from the four big compounds (Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid). These are the actives doing the heavy lifting in almost every centella study.
Here is the short version of what they do in the skin:
So it is not just soothing for the sake of soothing. Centella calms the skin AND helps it rebuild.
Just FYI, not all centella on an ingredient list is the same. What you are getting actually depends on the extract:
Fun fact on the ratios: the leaves tend to be richest in Madecassoside and Asiaticoside, and lower in the two acids. The exact amounts shift with where the plant is grown and how it is processed. This means purity really does vary brand to brand.
Centella is one of the most easygoing actives out there.
It layers well with basically everything: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamin C, and also pairs nicely with stronger actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids where it can help take the edge off irritation.
On the safety side, centella and its triterpenes are classified as weak sensitizers, meaning allergic reactions are possible but uncommon.
Patch tests at 1% and 5% came back negative in test panels, and creams at typical use levels did not cause allergic reactions across large groups of people.
But as with any new active, a patch test is still a smart move for very reactive skin.
Centella is widely used because it is effective at low percentages. For context, human safety testing found no meaningful irritation from creams containing centella extract at everyday use levels (the tested amounts were well under 1%).
The irritancy threshold in animal testing was also above 30% (so real-world formulas sit far below anything concerning).
In collagen lab studies, higher concentrations drove more collagen synthesis, so serums built around centella tend to feature it more prominently.
Bottom line: you will find centella working nicely anywhere from a fraction of a percent up to hero-ingredient levels depending on whether it is a supporting soother or the main event.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinFicus Carica Fruit Extract comes from the fruit known as the fig. Figs are rich in antioxidants and helps hydrate the skin.
Figs also contain fatty acids and Vitamins A, B1, and B2.
As a humectant, figs are able to draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Learn more about Ficus Carica Fruit ExtractGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Lauryl Betaine is a cleansing ingredient. You'll most likely see it in face washes, body washes, and shampoos. It's a type of surfactant that helps water mix with oil so dirt, sweat, and sunscreen can rinse off easily.
Chemically, lauryl betaine is an amphoteric surfactant so it carries both a positive and negative charge. This helps it create a creamy foam while being less harsh than stronger detergent-type cleansers.
According to CIR, this ingredient is generally considered safe when used in cosmetics. However, like all surfactants, it can be irritating when used in high amounts of in formulas that aren't well balanced.
Learn more about Lauryl BetaineSodium Cocoyl Glycinate is a cleansing agent. It can be naturally derived or synthetically-created.
As a surfactant, it helps clean your skin by gathering dirt, oil, and other pollutants to be rinsed away more easily.
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based mild surfactant that is used in formulas as a primary or secondary cleansing agent. This means it helps lift away oil, dirt, and makeup.
You'll see this ingredient in facial cleansers, shampoos, and even toothpaste because it foams reasonably well while being much gentler than harsher surfactants like SLS.
A study comparing surfactant mixtures found that Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate caused visibly less disruption to skin lipid structure and less irritation than SLS when tested on human subjects; this correlated with the data from in vivo results as well.
The Tenside, Surfactants, Detergents cosmetics industry journal has also concluded that amino acid based surfactants are generally milder than their corresponding alkyl sulfate counterparts. They also stated glutamates in particular are considered one of the gentler options in the category.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has reviewed dermal irritation and sensitization data for this ingredient at the highest reported use concentration and concluded it to be safe in present practices.
Typical use concentrations tend to run low (generally less than 10%) though the CIR's review noted the highest reported use concentration was 40% as a raw material blend (and not a diluted finished cosmetic product).
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl GlutamateWater. 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!
Learn more about Water
