Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Toner : AHA + BHA Versus Beausta Cicarecipe Toner
Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Toner : AHA + BHA Versus Beausta Cicarecipe Toner This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and clear breakouts. This calming toner is formulated around Centella Asi
Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Toner : AHA + BHA Versus Beausta Cicarecipe Toner
This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and clear breakouts.
This calming toner is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Niacinamide to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Prunus Mume Fruit Water
Dipropylene Glycol
Glycerin
Glycolic Acid
Butylene Glycol
Tromethamine
1,2-Hexanediol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Salicylic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Vigna Radiata Seed Extract
Disodium EDTA
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Corallina Officinalis Extract
C12-14 Pareth-12
Xanthan Gum
Octyldodeceth-16
Water, Prunus Mume Fruit Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Salicylic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, C12-14 Pareth-12, Xanthan Gum, Octyldodeceth-16
Centella Asiatica Extract
Methylpropanediol
Niacinamide
Madecassoside
Madecassic Acid
Asiatic Acid
Ceramide NP
Asiaticoside
Panthenol
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Caprylyl Glycol
Glycereth-26
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Betaine
Adenosine
Xylitylglucoside
Anhydroxylitol
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xylitol
Glucose
Sodium Hyaluronate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Dextrin
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Parfum
Limonene
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Ceramide NP, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Asiaticoside, Panthenol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycereth-26, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xylitol, Xanthan Gum, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dextrin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Parfum, Limonene
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.
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.
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.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
The flowers of this tree are lilac colored.
This ingredient is also known as neem leaf extract. It contains natural compounds like nimbidin, quercetin, and other polyphenols that give it antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activity.
Lab studies have shown neem leaf extract can inhibit acne-related bacteria and help calm skin. Animal studies on wound gels using 1-3% neem leaf extract found it sped up healing without causing irritation.
A wound-healing study testing gels with the extract at 1%, 2%, and 3% concentrations and found none of them irritated the skin.
Most commercial products also use it in a similar low range (typically under 5%).
Allergy-wise, there are some case reports on neem oil causing allergic contact dermatitis so people with plant/botanical sensitivities may want to patch test first.
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.