What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Polyquaternium-67
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Triticum Vulgare Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicRaphanus Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Isethionate, Salicylic Acid, Polyquaternium-67, Hydroxyacetophenone, Centella Asiatica Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Triticum Vulgare Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Brassica Campestris Extract, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Surfactant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPotassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lauryl Glucoside, Potassium Cocoate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Decylene Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, EDTA, Tocopherol
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 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePentylene 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 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 AcidWater. 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
