Skin science article
Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel Versus PURITO Centella Unscented Recovery Cream
Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel Versus PURITO Centella Unscented Recovery Cream This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Allantoin to calm redness and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica E
Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel Versus PURITO Centella Unscented Recovery Cream
This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Allantoin to calm redness and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.
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
Centella Asiatica Extract 50%
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Squalane
Cetearyl Alcohol
Niacinamide
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Behenic Acid
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Palmitic Acid
Stearic Acid
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
Oryza Sativa Germ Oil
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Carbomer
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Sodium Carbomer
Adenosine
Asiaticoside
Asiatic Acid
Phytosphingosine
Ceramide NP
Madecassic Acid
Myristic Acid
Arachidic Acid
Centella Asiatica Extract 50%, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Behenic Acid, Betaine, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Caprylyl Glycol, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Beta-Glucan, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Carbomer, Adenosine, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide NP, Madecassic Acid, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid
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
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
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).
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.
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!
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.