Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol Versus Benton Cacao Moist and Mild Serum

Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol Versus Benton Cacao Moist and Mild Serum

This calming serum is formulated around Panthenol and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Centella Asiatica Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Panthenol

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Methylpropanediol

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Betaine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Allantoin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Artemisia Capillaris Extract

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Polyquaternium-51

Malt Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Water, Panthenol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Malt Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Dipropylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Centella Asiatica Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Salix Nigra Bark Extract

Theobroma Cacao Flower Extract

Madecassoside

Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract

Pulsatilla Koreana Extract

Usnea Barbata Extract

Carbomer

Arginine

Theobroma Cacao Extract, Butylene Glycol, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Theobroma Cacao Flower Extract, Madecassoside, Allantoin, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Betaine, Panthenol, Carbomer, Arginine

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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.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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.

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.

Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.

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.

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.

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!

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