What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Powder
Exfoliating
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Powder
Cellulose
Absorbent
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Parfum
Masking
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Vigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningFicus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Saururus Chinensis Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantLupinus Albus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCaulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Powder, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Oryza Sativa Powder, Cellulose, Sodium Isethionate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Parfum, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-67
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Acetate
BufferingSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Coptis Chinensis Root Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-67, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract
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
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.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCentella 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 ExtractDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
