This acne toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract to clear breakouts and calm redness.
This calming toner is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Artemisia Vulgaris Extract to calm redness and clear breakouts.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Leaf Vesicles
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
ChelatingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-8
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Isostearamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Water, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Vesicles, Salicylic Acid, Zinc Gluconate, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, PEG-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Isostearamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cholesterol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Nigella Sativa Seed Extract
Perfuming
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycine
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin ConditioningSebacic Acid
Buffering1,10-Decanediol
SolventSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Salicylic Acid, Nigella Sativa Seed Extract, Mandelic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Capryloyl Glycine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, Sebacic Acid, 1,10-Decanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 ExtractChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene 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 GlycolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
