Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream Versus BIOTHERM Aqua Bounce Super Concentrate

Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream Versus BIOTHERM Aqua Bounce Super Concentrate This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Water and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier. This hydrating serum is formulated around Panthenol and M

Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream Versus BIOTHERM Aqua Bounce Super Concentrate

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Water and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Panthenol and Madecassoside to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Oryza Sativa Bran Water

Glycerin

Panax Ginseng Root Water

Hydrogenated Polydecene

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Squalane

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Xanthan Gum

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Disodium EDTA

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Honey Extract

Ceramide NP

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract

Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Phellinus Linteus Extract

Dextrin

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Water, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Glycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Hydrogenated Polydecene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Honey Extract, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Dextrin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Alcohol Denat.

Propylene Glycol

Panthenol

Pentylene Glycol

Dimethicone

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

Nasturtium Officinale Extract

PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30

Glyceryl Isostearate

Madecassoside

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Caprylyl Glycol

Vitreoscilla Ferment

Citric Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Tocopherol

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Glyceryl Isostearate, Madecassoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.

It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.

Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.

Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.

Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.

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!

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.

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 Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
  4. 04It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
  5. 05This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
  6. 06Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
  7. 07Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
  8. 08No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
  9. 09Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
  10. 10This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
  11. 11Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
  12. 12Read more about squalene with an "e".
  13. 13Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
  14. 14The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
  15. 15Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmet…
  16. 16A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
  17. 17The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum

Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum ingredients explained: Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water,…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side