Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide Versus Anua Green Lemon Vita C Blemish Serum

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide Versus Anua Green Lemon Vita C Blemish Serum

This acne serum is formulated around Propolis Extract and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and brighten dull-looking skin.

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Propolis Extract

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Water

Niacinamide

1,2-Hexanediol

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract

Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil

Betaine Salicylate

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Tromethamine

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Dextrin

Pentylene Glycol

Octanediol

Tocopherol

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Propolis Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Pentylene Glycol, Octanediol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Propanediol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Cyclohexasiloxane

Sodium Hydroxide

C12-14 Alketh-12

Bisabolol

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Allantoin

Glutathione

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil

Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil

Adenosine

Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil

Disodium EDTA

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil

Ferulic Acid

Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract

N-Butyl Alcohol

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Sorbitol

Panthenol

Beta-Glucan

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hyaluronic Acid

Sucrose Stearate

Glyceryl Stearates

Beta-Carotene

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Thioctic Acid

Lycopodium Clavatum Extract

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Pyridoxine

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Folic Acid

Biotin

Ceramide NP

Ubiquinone

Cyanocobalamin

Thiamine Hcl

Riboflavin

Linoleic Acid

Hesperidin

Ergothioneine

Limonene

Linalool

Citral

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sodium Hydroxide, C12-14 Alketh-12, Bisabolol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Water, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Glycerin, Glutathione, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Adenosine, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Disodium EDTA, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract, N-Butyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sorbitol, Panthenol, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Sucrose Stearate, Glyceryl Stearates, Beta-Carotene, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Thioctic Acid, Lycopodium Clavatum Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Pyridoxine, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Ceramide NP, Ubiquinone, Cyanocobalamin, Thiamine Hcl, Riboflavin, Linoleic Acid, Hesperidin, Ergothioneine, Limonene, Linalool, Citral

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

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.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

This is a lab-made ingredient that plays a huge role in improving the texture of a formula.

It's used to thicken watery gel-creams, prevent water + oil from separating, and give products a silky, non-greasy glide.

Safety-wise, a panel of independent toxicologists reviewed this ingredient and concluded it to be safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration.

A separate sensitization patch test on humans also showed no evidence of allergic reactivity, and a true allergy to this ingredient is considered rare.

Typical usage levels range from 0.015%-3% in leave-on products and 0.078%-3.2% in rinse-off products.

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.

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