Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel Versus Anua Heartleaf Succinic Moisture Cleansing Foam

Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel Versus Anua Heartleaf Succinic Moisture Cleansing Foam

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Allantoin to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This salicylic acid foaming cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Methyl Trimethicone

Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Glyceryl Glucoside

C12-14 Alketh-12

Maltodextrin

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Betaine

Panthenol

Allantoin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Polyquaternium-51

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Glucose

Sodium Citrate

Beta-Glucan

Hydrolyzed Corn Starch

Citric Acid

Sucrose

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Caprylyl Glycol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Cyanocobalamin

Glycine

Serine

Glutamic Acid

Aspartic Acid

Leucine

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Alanine

Lysine

Arginine

Tyrosine

Phenylalanine

Proline

Threonine

Valine

Isoleucine

Histidine

Cysteine

Methionine

Phosphoric Acid

Ascorbic Acid

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Trimethicone, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Glucoside, C12-14 Alketh-12, Maltodextrin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyquaternium-51, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Glucose, Sodium Citrate, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Citric Acid, Sucrose, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Cyanocobalamin, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, Phosphoric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate

Sodium Chloride

Methylpropanediol

Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract

Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract

Althaea Rosea Flower Extract

Chitosan

Coco-Glucoside

Salicylic Acid

Succinic Acid

Lauryl Hydroxysultaine

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sodium Phytate

Hexylene Glycol

Protease

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Ceramide NP

Dipropylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Cholesterol

Parfum

Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Chitosan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tromethamine, Coco-Glucoside, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Succinic Acid, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Protease, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Cholesterol, Parfum

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

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.

Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.

The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).

Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

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.

Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.

It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.

This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.

Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.

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!

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