Skin science article
AXIS - Y Biome Radiating Intensified Essence Versus Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water
AXIS - Y Biome Radiating Intensified Essence Versus Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water This barrier-repair essence is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and brighten dull-looking skin. This calming essence
AXIS - Y Biome Radiating Intensified Essence Versus Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water
This barrier-repair essence is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and brighten dull-looking skin.
This calming essence is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Water and Niacinamide to calm redness and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Polyglycerin-3
Methylpropanediol
Dipropylene Glycol
1,2-Hexanediol
Betaine
Panthenol
Niacinamide
Centella Asiatica Extract
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Water
Glycerin
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Octyldodeceth-16
Tromethamine
Fructooligosaccharides
Butylene Glycol
Xanthan Gum
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Adenosine
Dextrin
Copaifera Officinalis Resin
Ceramide NP
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Lactococcus Ferment
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Bifida Ferment Lysate, Polyglycerin-3, Methylpropanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Water, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Octyldodeceth-16, Tromethamine, Fructooligosaccharides, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Adenosine, Dextrin, Copaifera Officinalis Resin, Ceramide NP, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Propanediol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Glyceryl Glucoside
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Allantoin
Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Glucose
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Panax Ginseng Berry Extract
Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Disodium EDTA
Panax Ginseng Root Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Glucose, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
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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
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.
Dextrin is a starch-derived polysaccharide. It's made by partially breaking down corn, potato, or other plant starches.
Think of it as "half-processed" starch; it's less complex than the original but not fully broken down into sugar like maltodextrin.
In cosmetics, it mainly functions as a bulking agent, viscosity controller, binder, and absorbent. It helps thicken products, stabilize powders, and get certain textures a less "wet" feel.
This ingredient has a pretty solid safety profile; it's recognized as a safe food additive and its large molecular size means it doesn't meaningfully penetrate skin.
Human repeat insult patch tests using a rinse-off facial product containing 42.69% dextrin found no skin irritation or sensitization in 54 subjects.
Typical real-world usage is much lower: usually under 1% as a texture modifier and up to 40% in masks (rinse off products use less).
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.
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.
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.