Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream (Old Formulation) Versus Muji Moisturising Cream
Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream (Old Formulation) Versus Muji Moisturising Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around
Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream (Old Formulation) Versus Muji Moisturising Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Olea Europaea Fruit Oil and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Niacinamide
Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters
Sodium Hyaluronate
Xanthan Gum
Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclohexasiloxane
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Hydrogenated Lecithin
C14-28 Alkyl Acid
Stearyl Alcohol
Behenyl Alcohol
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
Adenosine
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Cetearyl Alcohol
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Stearic Acid
Tocopheryl Acetate
Sodium Polyacrylate
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Centella Asiatica Extract
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Ceramide NP
Trehalose
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Raphanus Sativus Leaf Extract
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Cucurbitaceae Extract
Orchid Extract
Honey Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Phytosphingosine
Ceteareth-20
Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
Parfum
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C14-28 Alkyl Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Adenosine, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceramide NP, Trehalose, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Raphanus Sativus Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Cucurbitaceae Extract, Orchid Extract, Honey Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Phytosphingosine, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Parfum
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Beeswax
Glyceryl Stearate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
C9-12 Alkane
Octyldodecyl Myristate
C13-15 Alkane
Polysorbate 60
PEG-75 Stearate
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Alanine
Arginine
Sodium Glutamate
Serine
Proline
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Diglycerin
Glycosyl Trehalose
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Squalane
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
C14-22 Alcohols
Batyl Alcohol
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
Tocopherol
Citric Acid
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Beeswax, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C9-12 Alkane, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Behenyl Alcohol, C13-15 Alkane, Polysorbate 60, PEG-75 Stearate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Alanine, Arginine, Sodium Glutamate, Serine, Proline, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Diglycerin, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, C14-22 Alcohols, Batyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
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.
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.
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.
This ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
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!