VT Cosmetics Cica Daily Soothing Mask Versus VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot Lifting Serum

VT Cosmetics Cica Daily Soothing Mask Versus VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot Lifting Serum

This calming sheet mask is formulated around Panthenol and Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Collagen Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Propanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Illicium Verum Fruit Extract

Trehalose

Citrus Grandis Seed Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Arginine

Panthenol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Centella Asiatica Extract

Madecassoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiaticoside

Asiatic Acid

Propolis Extract

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Butylene Glycol

Honey Extract

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Royal Jelly Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Fructan

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitol

Glucose

Glycine

Serine

Glutamic Acid

Aspartic Acid

Leucine

Alanine

Lysine

Tyrosine

Phenylalanine

Threonine

Proline

Valine

Isoleucine

Histidine

Methionine

Cysteine

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Trehalose, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Propolis Extract, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Butylene Glycol, Honey Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Fructan, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Proline, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Methionine, Cysteine, Parfum

Collagen Extract

Niacinamide

Glycolipids

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Squalane

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Heptyl Undecylenate

Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media Extract

PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol

Cholesterol

Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Tromethamine

Adenosine

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Hydrolyzed Elastin

Silica

Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Tocopherol

Water, Glycerin, Collagen Extract, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycolipids, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Heptyl Undecylenate, Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media Extract, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Tocopherol, Parfum

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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

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.

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.

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.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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