AHC Beauty The Real Eye Cream for Face Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal

AHC Beauty The Real Eye Cream for Face Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Oryza Sativa Extract and Bifida Ferment Lysate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Oryza Sativa Extract

Water

Glycerin

Methylpropanediol

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Dimethicone

Snail Secretion Filtrate

Cyclopentasiloxane

Niacinamide

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Butylene Glycol

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract

Rose Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Collagen Extract

Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides

Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract

Phaseolus Lunatus Seed Extract

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract

Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract

Salicornia Herbacea Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water

Polysorbate 60

Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Polyacrylate-13

Hydroxyacetophenone

Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate

C12-16 Alcohols

Polysorbate 20

Polyisobutene

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

1,2-Hexanediol

Tranexamic Acid

Sodium Polyacrylate

Palmitic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Polyquaternium-51

Glycosyl Trehalose

Xanthan Gum

Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Raffinose

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Adenosine

Lecithin

Disodium EDTA

Panthenol

Dipropylene Glycol

Ceramide NP

Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate

Folic Acid

Sodium Palmitoyl Proline

Cholesterol

Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose

Acetic Acid

Triethylhexanoin

Acrylates Copolymer

Lactic Acid

Alcohol Denat.

Rutin

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein

Helichrysum Italicum Flower Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sorbitan Laurate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Phospholipids

Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine

Tromethamine

Copper Tripeptide-1

Magnesium PCA

Sodium Lactate

Isostearyl Isostearate

Phytosphingosine

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide

Glycine

Glucosamine Hcl

Glutamic Acid

Glutamine

Disodium Phosphate

Lysine

Leucine

Magnesium Citrate

Maltodextrin

Methionine

Valine

Serine

Sucrose

Cysteine

Citrulline

Sea Salt

Asparagine

Aspartic Acid

Alanine

Arginine

Ammonia

Ornithine

Urea

Uric Acid

Isoleucine

Calcium Chloride

Taurine

Tyrosine

Threonine

Tryptophan

Phenylalanine

Formic Acid

Potassium Hydroxide

Proline

Histidine

Ceramide Ng

Inulin Lauryl Carbamate

Caprylyl Glycol

Tocopheryl Linoleate

Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Ceramide AP

Vp/Polycarbamyl Polyglycol Ester

Saccharide Hydrolysate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Hydrolyzed Sesame Protein Pg-Propyl Methylsilanediol

Carbomer

Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans

Acetyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Ceramide EOP

Potassium Sorbate

Oryza Sativa Extract, Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Dimethicone, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Rose Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Collagen Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Phaseolus Lunatus Seed Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Polysorbate 60, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylate-13, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, C12-16 Alcohols, Polysorbate 20, Polyisobutene, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Palmitic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyquaternium-51, Glycosyl Trehalose, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Raffinose, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Adenosine, Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Dipropylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Folic Acid, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Cholesterol, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetic Acid, Triethylhexanoin, Acrylates Copolymer, Lactic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Rutin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Helichrysum Italicum Flower Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Tromethamine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Magnesium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Phytosphingosine, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Glycine, Glucosamine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Disodium Phosphate, Lysine, Leucine, Magnesium Citrate, Maltodextrin, Methionine, Valine, Serine, Sucrose, Cysteine, Citrulline, Sea Salt, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Arginine, Ammonia, Ornithine, Urea, Uric Acid, Isoleucine, Calcium Chloride, Taurine, Tyrosine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Formic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Proline, Histidine, Ceramide Ng, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Ceramide AP, Vp/Polycarbamyl Polyglycol Ester, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Sesame Protein Pg-Propyl Methylsilanediol, Carbomer, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Acetyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Ceramide EOP, Potassium Sorbate

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Dextrin

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Retinal

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Silica

Tocopherol

Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Water, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Retinal, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin

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

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

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.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.

You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.

These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.

This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.

Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

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).

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.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.

This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.

It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.

The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.

This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.

Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.

On the fungal acne front: Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.

We don't have a description for Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate yet.

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.

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.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.

Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.

Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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!

Similar Comparisons