SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Azulene Peptide 5 Soothing Cream Versus S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Moisturizing Cream
This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventIsopentyldiol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
HumectantC12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantEctoin
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Mandshurica Flower Extract
AntioxidantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPullulan
T-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGuaiazulene
AntimicrobialSodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
SurfactantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-15
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
ChelatingBisabolol
AntioxidantGlucose
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Isopentyldiol, Niacinamide, Ethoxydiglycol, Xylitol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Trehalose, C12-14 Alketh-12, Glyceryl Glucoside, Caffeine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Beta-Glucan, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ectoin, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Adenosine, Glycerin, Pullulan, T-Butyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Guaiazulene, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dipeptide-15, Tripeptide-1, Sodium Phytate, Bisabolol, Glucose, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Sodium PCA, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Phospholipids, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Squalane, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Adenosine, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Allantoin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol
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
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl 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 GlycolGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol