This acne treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Centella Asiatica Extract to clear breakouts and calm redness.
This acne treatment is formulated around Lactic Acid and Gluconolactone to clear breakouts and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Laurocapram
Skin ConditioningGalla Rhois Gallnut Extract
Antimicrobial
Camphor
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyacrylate-13
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingTriethanolamine
BufferingPolyisobutene
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract
Emollient
Saposhnikovia Divaricata Root Extract
AntimicrobialCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Albizia Julibrissin Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGastrodia Elata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Laurocapram, Galla Rhois Gallnut Extract, Camphor, Menthol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Polyacrylate-13, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Triethanolamine, Polyisobutene, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, Saposhnikovia Divaricata Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Albizia Julibrissin Flower Extract, Gastrodia Elata Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningErythritol
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Succinic Acid
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerophosphoinositol Choline
Skin ProtectingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxycinnamic Acid
Skin ConditioningNordihydroguaiaretic Acid
Antioxidant
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRutin
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentWater, Erythritol, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Lactobionic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Succinic Acid, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerophosphoinositol Choline, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Hydroxycinnamic Acid, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rutin, Biotin, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Parfum, Cyclodextrin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
