Beauty of Joseon Revive Repair Serum: Ginseng + Snail Mucin Versus I'm from Mugwort Serum

Beauty of Joseon Revive Repair Serum: Ginseng + Snail Mucin Versus I'm from Mugwort Serum

This calming serum is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Water and Snail Secretion Filtrate to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This calming serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

Panax Ginseng Root Water

Water

Butylene Glycol

Snail Secretion Filtrate

Dipropylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Propanediol

Trehalose

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Xanthan Gum

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ganoderma Lucidum Extract

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Malt Extract

Sodium Polyacrylate

Adenosine

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Disodium EDTA

Phellinus Linteus Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Panax Ginseng Root Water, Water, Butylene Glycol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Trehalose, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Malt Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

2,3-Butanediol

Methylpropanediol

Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Allium Sativum Bulb Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Pentylene Glycol

Erythritol

Betaine

Methyl Gluceth-10

Panthenol

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Sclerotium Gum

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Allantoin

Citric Acid

Sodium Phytate

Dextrin

Ceramide NP

Beta-Glucan

Cellulose

Polyglutamic Acid

Tocopherol

Water, Butylene Glycol, 2,3-Butanediol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Allium Sativum Bulb Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Erythritol, Betaine, Methyl Gluceth-10, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sclerotium Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Dextrin, Ceramide NP, Beta-Glucan, Cellulose, Polyglutamic Acid, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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