Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus Nacific Fresh Herb Origin Sun Block SPF50+ PA++++
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus Nacific Fresh Herb Origin Sun Block SPF50+ PA++++ This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus Nacific Fresh Herb Origin Sun Block SPF50+ PA++++
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.
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
Homosalate
Dipropylene Glycol
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Cetearyl Olivate
Octocrylene
Calendula Officinalis Flower Water
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Sorbitan Olivate
Polysorbate 60
Dimethicone
Polyacrylate-13
Sodium Hydroxide
PEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitan Stearate
Polyisobutene
BHT
Polysorbate 20
Sorbitan Isostearate
Caprylyl Glycol
Limonene
Linalool
Citronellol
Geraniol
Benzyl Benzoate
Water, Homosalate, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Octocrylene, Calendula Officinalis Flower Water, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Polyacrylate-13, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Polyisobutene, BHT, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate
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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.
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
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.
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.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
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.
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!