Skin science article
D'Alba White Truffle Double Serum & Cream Versus D'Alba Peptide No Sebum Repair Cream
D'Alba White Truffle Double Serum & Cream Versus D'Alba Peptide No Sebum Repair Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Centella Asiatica Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This oil-control moisturizer is
D'Alba White Truffle Double Serum & Cream Versus D'Alba Peptide No Sebum Repair Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Centella Asiatica Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to balance excess oil and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propanediol
1,2-Hexanediol
Glycerin
Panthenol
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Centella Asiatica Extract
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Tuber Magnatum Extract
Malt Extract
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Octyldodeceth-16
Butylene Glycol
Tromethamine
Disodium EDTA
Adenosine
Fructooligosaccharides
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Beta-Glucan
Sodium Polyacrylate
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Ceramide NP
Tocopherol
Parfum
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Phenyl Trimethicone
Betaine
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Cyclohexasiloxane
Cetyl Alcohol
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Glyceryl Stearate
Behenyl Alcohol
Trehalose
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Collagen Extract
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Rose Extract
Jasminum Officinale Extract
Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract
Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Iris Versicolor Extract
Freesia Refracta Extract
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Glycine Soja Oil
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Persea Gratissima Oil
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Glucose
Mannose
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Hydroxyacetophenone
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Panthenol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Malt Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Octyldodeceth-16, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Fructooligosaccharides, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Parfum, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenyl Trimethicone, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Collagen Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Rose Extract, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Iris Versicolor Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glucose, Mannose, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Squalane
Niacinamide
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Dimethicone
Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Glucoside
Carbomer
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Artemisia Annua Extract
Oryza Sativa Extract
Saccharomyces Ferment
Arginine
Octyldodecanol
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Pullulan
Calamine
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Pentylene Glycol
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract
Caprylyl Glycol
Betaine Salicylate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Porphyridium Cruentum Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Artemisia Annua Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Arginine, Octyldodecanol, Panthenol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pullulan, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Calamine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Betaine Salicylate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
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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.
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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Centella 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.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
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.
Glucose 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.
Glycerin (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.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Hydrolyzed 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.
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract is also known as Lotus Flower Extract and it's mainly valued as an antioxidant + soothing ingredient for skincare.
It's rich in polyphenols and flavonoids that protect skin against radical damage from UV rays and pollution.
Lab studies on human skin show it calms inflammation by reducing inflammatory signals in skin cells without causing cell damage.
Cell and formulation studies also point to whitening/brightening + anti-wrinkle effects; the extracts from the leaf, seed, and flower showed measurable elastase (wrinkle-related enzyme) and tyrosinase (pigment related enzyme) inhibition.
A cream containing lotus extract also no significant irritation and stayed stable over a month of storage.
Typical usage in cosmetics is usually on the lower end (~0.5-5%) depending on the formula.
Allergy-wise, this ingredient is considered low risk and often included in products made for sensitive/irritated skin. But like any plant extract, it carries a small possibility of contact allergy in people sensitive to plant extracts.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
We don't have a description for Tuber Magnatum Extract yet.
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!