Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus La Roche-Posay SPF 50 Anthelios Age Correct
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus La Roche-Posay SPF 50 Anthelios Age Correct This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-si
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus La Roche-Posay SPF 50 Anthelios Age Correct
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
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
Octocrylene
Niacinamide
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Dimethicone
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Benzyl Alcohol
Benzyl Benzoate
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Poloxamer 338
Triethanolamine
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Parfum
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Niacinamide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Silica, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Poloxamer 338, Tocopherol, Triethanolamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Ethylhexyl Triazone (aka Octyl Triazone) is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter. It has peak absorption around 314 nm, right in the middle of the UVB range.
This ingredient is described as one of the most effective UVB filters available and small concentrations are enough to deliver a high SPF thanks to its strong UV absorbing power.
Formulators love it for its stability; its ability to filter UV stays practically unchanged even under intense radiation and it can also help boost the photostability of less stable filters like avobenzone.
It's also a great pick for water resistant products because it's insoluble in water and has a good affinity for keratin.
Because it's a big, heavy molecule, the European Scientific Committee has found to to have very low dermal penetration and negative results for allergenicity.
In vitro testing also showed a low absorption rate and clean results on irritation.
Typical use levels are 1-5% with 5% being the maximum in the EU, Japan, and other markets that allow it. However, this ingredient is not approved yet in the US or Canada.
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.
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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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.