Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Pine Grove : Body Wash Versus APLB Glutathione Niacinamide Body Wash
Beauty of Joseon Pine Grove : Body Wash Versus APLB Glutathione Niacinamide Body Wash What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate Glycerin Acrylates Copolymer Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate Sodium
Beauty of Joseon Pine Grove : Body Wash Versus APLB Glutathione Niacinamide Body Wash
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Glycerin
Acrylates Copolymer
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
Sodium Chloride
Hexylene Glycol
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
Parfum
Potassium Sorbate
Butylene Glycol
Propanediol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
1,2-Hexanediol
Sodium Phytate
Tromethamine
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Juglans Nigra Leaf Extract
Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Sophora Japonica Leaf Extract
Ceramide NP
Pentylene Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract
Octanediol
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Citric Acid
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract
Methylpropanediol
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Dipropylene Glycol
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Bambusa Vulgaris Water
Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract
Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Prunus Persica Flower Extract
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Phytate, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Juglans Nigra Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Sophora Japonica Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Octanediol, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Methylpropanediol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Centella Asiatica Extract 5.1%
Propylene Glycol
Cocamide Mea
Lauramide DEA
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Glutathione
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glyceryl Stearate
Cholesterol
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Artemisia Annua Extract
Oryza Sativa Extract
Saccharomyces Ferment
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Beta-Glucan
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
Madecassic Acid
Asiaticoside
Asiatic Acid
Squalane
Polyquaternium-10
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Chlorphenesin
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Centella Asiatica Extract 5.1%, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocamide Mea, Lauramide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glutathione, Niacinamide, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cholesterol, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Beta-Glucan, Dipropylene Glycol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Squalane, Polyquaternium-10, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Chloride
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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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
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.
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.
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract comes from the seabuckthorn berry. This berry is native to Asia and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
The seabuckthorn fruit contains carotenoids, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, Vitamin C, linoleic acid, and vitamin E.
The nutritious content of seabuckthorn fruit helps hydrate and nourish the skin. A study from 2018 found seabuckthorn may help with alleviating UV damage due to its anti-inflammatory property. However, it should not replace your sunscreen.
Due to its antioxidant properties, seabuckthorn fruit may help reduce the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight unstable free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
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!