SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Boosting Toner Versus D'Alba Peptide No-Sebum Balancing Toner

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Boosting Toner Versus D'Alba Peptide No-Sebum Balancing Toner

This brightening toner is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Niacinamide to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This oil-control toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Betaine Salicylate to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Centella Asiatica Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Pentylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Propanediol

Betaine

Allantoin

Panthenol

Madecassoside

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitol

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Prunus Mume Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Water

Glucose

Disodium EDTA

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Betaine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Madecassoside, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Glucose, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin

Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract

Glycereth-26

Trideceth-10

Caprylyl Glycol

Cocos Nucifera Water

Tuber Magnatum Extract

Adenosine

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Betaine Salicylate

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Water, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Trideceth-10, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Cocos Nucifera Water, Butylene Glycol, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine Salicylate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, 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

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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.

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.

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.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

Propanediol 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.

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!

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