What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantHoney Extract
HumectantOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningPiper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPanax Ginseng Berry Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Fruit Extract
HumectantChaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract
AntioxidantOpuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCornus Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSchisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPoncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantRaffinose
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Lecithin
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Polyglycerin-3, Diglycerin, Methylpropanediol, Alcohol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Royal Jelly Extract, Betaine, Honey Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Propolis Extract, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Octyldodeceth-16, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Polyquaternium-51, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Raffinose, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Beta-Glucan, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
Cellulose Gum is a water-soluble polymer that comes from cellulose. It is used to change the texture of a product and to help stabilize emulsions.
As an emulsifier, cellulose gum specifically thicken the texture of water-based products.
This ingredient is considered hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Cellulose Gum can be found in cosmetics, food, and other household goods such as paper products.
Learn more about Cellulose GumCentella 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 ExtractEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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