What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Viola Tricolor Extract
EmollientElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Zinc Oxide, Dimethicone, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Viola Tricolor Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Zinc PCA, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingTromethamine
BufferingShorea Stenoptera Seed Butter
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate
Surfactant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethylhexanoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trisiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Water, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Carbomer, Dicaprylyl Ether, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Phytosterols, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Gluconolactone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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 ExtractCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
