Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel Versus Wishful Yo Glow Facial Enzyme Scrub

Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel Versus Wishful Yo Glow Facial Enzyme Scrub This exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose to control oil. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose and Bromelain to refine skin texture. What's inside

Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel Versus Wishful Yo Glow Facial Enzyme Scrub

This exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose to control oil.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose and Bromelain to refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Prunus Mume Flower Water

Cellulose

Methylpropanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Carbomer

Arginine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Allantoin

Sorbitol

Disodium EDTA

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract

Oryza Sativa Extract

Prunus Mume Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Butylene Glycol

Water, Prunus Mume Flower Water, Cellulose, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Sorbitol, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol

Alcohol

Bromelain

Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract

Papain

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Citric Acid

Lactic Acid

Malic Acid

Salicylic Acid

Tartaric Acid

Glycolic Acid

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Glycerin

Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Acer Saccharum Extract

Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract

Citrus Paradisi Seed Extract

Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract

Mannitol

Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract

Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract

Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract

Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Gluconolactone

Polysorbate 20

Tromethamine

Propanediol

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Parfum

Water, Cellulose, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bromelain, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Papain, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Glycolic Acid, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Glycerin, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Citrus Paradisi Seed Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Mannitol, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gluconolactone, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Propanediol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum

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

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.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

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.

Cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls. It is used as an emulsifier, absorbent, and texture enhancer.

This ingredient has many functions:

Fun fact: Cellulose is the most abundant form of organic polymer on Earth.

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.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Glycerin
  3. 03Butylene Glycol
  4. 04Niacinamide
  5. 05Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters
  6. 06Sodium Hyaluronate
  7. 07Xanthan Gum
  8. 08Cyclopentasiloxane
  9. 09Cyclohexasiloxane
  10. 10Polyacrylate-13
  11. 11Polyisobutene
  12. 12Polysorbate 20
  13. 13Hydrogenated Lecithin
  14. 14C14-28 Alkyl Acid
  15. 15Stearyl Alcohol
  16. 16Behenyl Alcohol
  17. 17Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
  18. 18Dimethicone
  19. 19Adenosine
  20. 20Glyceryl Stearate Se
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side