Skin science article
AXIS - Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol
AXIS - Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Squalane to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This calming serum is form
AXIS - Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Squalane to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
This calming serum is formulated around Panthenol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Propanediol
Erythritol
Butylene Glycol
Squalane
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Chlorphenesin
Arginine
Ethylhexylglycerin
Carbomer
Glutathione
1,2-Hexanediol
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Allantoin
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Chlorphenesin, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Glutathione, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Allantoin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Artemisia Capillaris Extract
Panthenol
Ceramide AP
Methylpropanediol
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Tromethamine
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Betaine
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Polyquaternium-51
Malt Extract
Punica Granatum Extract
Clitoria Ternatea Flower Extract
Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polyquaternium-51, Malt Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Clitoria Ternatea Flower Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, 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.
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.
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!