Educational guide
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Blue Serum Versus Nø Cosmetics 120h Hydration & Niacinamide Serum
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Blue Serum Versus Nø Cosmetics 120h Hydration & Niacinamide Serum This hydrating serum is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Water and Niacinamide to hydrate skin and calm redness. This barrier-repair serum is form
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SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Blue Serum Versus Nø Cosmetics 120h Hydration & Niacinamide Serum
This hydrating serum is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Water and Niacinamide to hydrate skin and calm redness.
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water 38%
Butylene Glycol
1,2-Hexanediol
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Pantolactone
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid
Methylpropanediol
Panthenol
Cetearyl Olivate
Carbomer
Arginine
Sorbitan Olivate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Pentylene Glycol
Adenosine
Polyglutamic Acid
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Iris Florentina Root Extract
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
Maltodextrin
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Ceramide NP
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Water, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water 38%, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Pantolactone, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Panthenol, Cetearyl Olivate, Carbomer, Arginine, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Adenosine, Polyglutamic Acid, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Diglycerin
Amylopectin
Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Acacia Senegal Gum
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Lactic Acid
Citric Acid
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Diglycerin, Amylopectin, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Butylene Glycol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid
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.
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.
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%.
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.