What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glycogen
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trehalose, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Arginine, Allantoin, Adenosine, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycogen, Water, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassoside
Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propanediol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Water, Glycoproteins, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Citric Acid
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
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneMadecassoside is one of four active compounds found in Centella asiatica and is one of the main reasons Centella is so effective at calming irritated skin and supporting the moisture barrier.
There's a solid body of peer-reviewed research backing Madecassoside for several skin benefits. Studies have found:
Madecassoside pairs well with other hydrating or antioxidant ingredients like Ascorbic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid.
Learn more about MadecassosideMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
The flowers of this tree are lilac colored.
Learn more about Melia Azadirachta Flower ExtractMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract is extract from the neem plant.
The leaves of this tree contain flavonoids and polyphenols. These two compounds are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial. Further research is needed as to their effects when applied on skin.
Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
