Skin science article
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk This brightening toner is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Water and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin. This hydratin
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
This brightening toner is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Water and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.
This hydrating toner is formulated around Oryza Sativa Extract and Panthenol to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
1,2-Hexanediol
Niacinamide
Water
Betaine
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Xylitol
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Polyglyceryl-6 Dioleate
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Pentylene Glycol
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Adenosine
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Iris Florentina Root Extract
Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
Sodium Phytate
Methylpropanediol
Xanthan Gum
Citric Acid
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Polyglutamic Acid
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Ceramide NP
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Water, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Xylitol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-6 Dioleate, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Adenosine, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Phytate, Methylpropanediol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglutamic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Propanediol
Glycereth-26
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Oryza Sativa Extract
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Centella Asiatica Extract
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Panthenol
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Aluminum Chlorohydrate
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Sodium Citrate
Kaolin
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Dextrin
Tocopherol
Rice Amino Acids
Water, Methylpropanediol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Oryza Sativa Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Aluminum Chlorohydrate, Butylene Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Citrate, Kaolin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Dextrin, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Rice Amino Acids
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
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.
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.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
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.
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).
Methylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
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.
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!