Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Centella Asiatica Calming Mask Versus Skinfood Daily Mask
Beauty of Joseon Centella Asiatica Calming Mask Versus Skinfood Daily Mask This calming sheet mask is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Niacinamide to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier. This calming sheet mask is formulated around Niac
Beauty of Joseon Centella Asiatica Calming Mask Versus Skinfood Daily Mask
This calming sheet mask is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Niacinamide to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
This calming sheet mask is formulated around Niacinamide and Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract to calm redness.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Centella Asiatica Extract
Glycereth-26
Butylene Glycol
Niacinamide
1,2-Hexanediol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Arginine
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Carrageenan
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
Adenosine
Ethylhexylglycerin
Disodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Panthenol
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Propanediol
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carrageenan, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Panthenol, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Dipropylene Glycol
Betaine
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Caprylyl Glycol
Cellulose Gum
Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract
Carbomer
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Polyquaternium-51
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Abies Sibirica Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Asiaticoside
Asiatic Acid
Madecassic Acid
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Arginine, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Polyquaternium-51, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Abies Sibirica Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Alternatives
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.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
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.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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.
Glycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.
It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.
Hydroxyacetophenone 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.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Niacinamide 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.
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!