This calming serum is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Niacinamide to calm redness and clear breakouts.
This calming serum is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Panthenol to calm redness and clear breakouts.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingGlycereth-26
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCentella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingGlycolic Acid
BufferingPropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
ChelatingLactic Acid
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantEctoin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Azelaic Acid, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Cellulose Gum, Glycolic Acid, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ectoin, Squalane, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid 12%
BufferingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingBetaine
HumectantZinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
HumectantZinc PCA
HumectantSodium DNA
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSerine
MaskingAlanine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Water, Azelaic Acid 12%, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethoxydiglycol, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Butylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Arginine, Betaine, Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Zinc PCA, Sodium DNA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phosphatidylcholine, Ceramide NP, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Alanine, Lysine, Proline, Threonine
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
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinAzelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidButylene 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 GlycolCeramide 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 NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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