Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal Versus Minimalist Vitamin K + Retinal 01% Eye Cream

Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal Versus Minimalist Vitamin K + Retinal 01% Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

1,2-Hexanediol

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Olivate

Butylene Glycol

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tromethamine

Carbomer

Glyceryl Stearate

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Adenosine

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Dextrin

Cholesterol

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Retinal

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Silica

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopherol

Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Ceramide NP

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Retinal, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin

Dimethicone

Propanediol

Caffeine

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Brassica Glycerides

Diisopropyl Sebacate

Maltodextrin

Glyceryl Glucoside

Behenyl Alcohol

Phytonadione Epoxide

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Pentylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Zerumbone

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Dipeptide-2

Steareth-20

Chrysin

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Xanthan Gum

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

Phenoxyethanol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Citric Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Caffeine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Brassica Glycerides, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Maltodextrin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Phytonadione Epoxide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Zerumbone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Dipeptide-2, Steareth-20, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Xanthan Gum, Retinal, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

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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.

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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

Retinal (aka retinaldehyde) is a form of retinoid that formulators use mainly as an antiaging and skin-renewing active.

What makes it special is its position in the retinoid family; skin converts it to retinoic acid (the prescription gold standard) in just one step.

Because retinal only requires 1 conversion step to become retinoic acid, it's the strongest over-the-counter retinoid. It also works at lower concentrations than retinol, since retinal is about 10x more bioavailable.

Studies back up its efficacy in skin:

A foundational trial showed that applying 0.05-0.5% retinal for 1-3 months produced a dose-dependent and significant increase in epidermal thickness + cell turnover markers.

And a head-to-head comparison of 0.05% retinal against a 0.05% retinoid acid found both formulations were effective for the basis of wrinkle/skin roughness features, but retinoic acid caused more local irritation.

More recent controlled trials confirm it improves wrinkles, dermal density, and firmness over 12-24 weeks, with significant improvements in skin texture and firmness (particularly with the higher 0.1% concentration).

Retinal also has one trick the other retinoids do not: it directly fights against acne bacteria since a clinical study showed retinaldehyde-treated areas displayed a significant decrease in counts of viable P. acnes.

This makes it a great pick for people who want to treat aging and breakouts.

Typical cosmetic use sits in the 0.05-0.1% range with 0.05% being the gentle starting point and 0.1% giving stronger results.

Like all retinoids, retinal works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen. It can cause some irritation so ease into it slowly rather than going all in.

The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinal once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low.

Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.

Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.

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.

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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