Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus P20 SPF 20 Sunscreen
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus P20 SPF 20 Sunscreen This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50. This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~95% of UVB at SPF 20, below the
Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ Versus P20 SPF 20 Sunscreen
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~95% of UVB at SPF 20, below the SPF 30 recommended for daily use.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
No 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
Alcohol Denat.
Octocrylene
Homosalate
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer
Hydroxypropylcellulose
Alcohol Denat., C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Octocrylene, Homosalate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Hydroxypropylcellulose
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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.
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.