Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum : Centella + Vita C

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum : Centella + Vita C

This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.

This brightening serum is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Dibutyl Adipate

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Alcohol

Acrylates Copolymer

Butyloctyl Salicylate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Ethylhexyl Triazone

Phenethyl Benzoate

Arbutin

1,2-Hexanediol

Silica

Methylpropanediol

Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate

Polysilicone-15

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Pentylene Glycol

Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide

Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide

C30-45 Alkyldimethylsilyl Polypropylsilsesquioxane

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Ethyl Hexanediol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Panax Ginseng Berry Extract

Panax Ginseng Extract

Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract

Adenosine

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycerin

Tocopherol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Phenethyl Benzoate, Arbutin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Methylpropanediol, Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate, Polysilicone-15, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, C30-45 Alkyldimethylsilyl Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ethyl Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Panax Ginseng Extract, Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Tocopherol

Centella Asiatica Extract

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Propanediol

Betaine

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Methyl Trimethicone

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Panthenol

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract

Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract

Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract

Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Bisabolol

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate

Fructooligosaccharides

Beta-Glucan

Sorbitan Isostearate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Maltodextrin

Arginine

Carbomer

Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide

Centella Asiatica Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Betaine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Methyl Trimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Panthenol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Water, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Bisabolol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Adenosine, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Maltodextrin, Arginine, Carbomer, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin

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

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

Hydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.

As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.

Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.

This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.

You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.

Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.

An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.

So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

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