Skin science article
Item Beauty Lite Sauce Clean Balancing Gel Moisturizer with Ceramides Versus Item Beauty Overdew Clean Intensive Cream Moisturizer with Argan Oil
Item Beauty Lite Sauce Clean Balancing Gel Moisturizer with Ceramides Versus Item Beauty Overdew Clean Intensive Cream Moisturizer with Argan Oil This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Ceramide NP to strengthen the s
Item Beauty Lite Sauce Clean Balancing Gel Moisturizer with Ceramides Versus Item Beauty Overdew Clean Intensive Cream Moisturizer with Argan Oil
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Dipropylene Glycol
Glycerin
Betaine
Butylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Centella Asiatica Extract
1,2-Hexanediol
Xylitol
Tocopherol
Tocopheryl Acetate
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Ceramide NP
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Xanthan Gum
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Carbomer
Silica
Sodium Stearoxy Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Sulfonate
Disodium EDTA
Tromethamine
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xylitol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Silica, Sodium Stearoxy Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Sulfonate, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Propanediol
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Dibutyl Adipate
Synthetic Beeswax
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Stearic Acid
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Trideceth-10
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Limonene
Water, Propanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dibutyl Adipate, Synthetic Beeswax, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Trideceth-10, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene
Reviews
Be the first to review
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
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter isn't fungal acne safe.
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.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
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!