Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream Versus Glad2Glow Yuja Symwhite 377 Dark Spot Moisturizer

Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream Versus Glad2Glow Yuja Symwhite 377 Dark Spot Moisturizer

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

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Phenylethyl Resorcinol to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

Citrus Junos Fruit Extract

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Centella Asiatica Extract

Panthenol

Betaine

Isopropyl Palmitate

Allantoin

Glycereth-26

Phenylethyl Resorcinol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Polyacrylate-13

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide AP

Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate

Propylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Polysorbate 20

Tetrapeptide-1

Nonapeptide-1

Polyisobutene

Pentylene Glycol

Sorbitan Isostearate

Aroma

Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Panthenol, Betaine, Isopropyl Palmitate, Allantoin, Glycereth-26, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyacrylate-13, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Ceramide NP, Tetrapeptide-1, Nonapeptide-1, Polyisobutene, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Aroma, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract

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

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

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.

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