Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water Versus Fenty Beauty Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence with Hyaluronic Acid + Tamarind
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water Versus Fenty Beauty Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence with Hyaluronic Acid + Tamarind This calming essence is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Water and Niacinamide to calm redness and hydrate skin. This hydrati
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water Versus Fenty Beauty Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence with Hyaluronic Acid + Tamarind
This calming essence is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Water and Niacinamide to calm redness and hydrate skin.
This hydrating toner is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Propanediol
Niacinamide
1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Hydroxyacetophenone
Glyceryl Glucoside
Xanthan Gum
Panthenol
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Allantoin
Adenosine
Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Dextrin
Glucose
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Panax Ginseng Berry Extract
Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Disodium EDTA
Panax Ginseng Root Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Glucose, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Squalane
Glyceryl Stearate
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide
Sodium PCA
Magnesium PCA
Zinc PCA
Manganese PCA
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Malpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Tocopherol
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Caprylyl Glycol
Hexylene Glycol
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Hydroxide
Disodium Phosphate
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Polysorbate 60
Sodium Glycolate
Sodium Formate
Sodium Phosphate
Phenoxyethanol
Parfum
Hexyl Cinnamal
Limonene
Linalool
Benzyl Salicylate
CI 15985
CI 14700
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide, Sodium PCA, Magnesium PCA, Zinc PCA, Manganese PCA, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Malpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Glycolate, Sodium Formate, Sodium Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, CI 15985, CI 14700
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.
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.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
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!