Beauty of Joseon Revive Repair Serum: Ginseng + Snail Mucin Versus The Derma Co 2% Kojic Acid Face Serum

Beauty of Joseon Revive Repair Serum: Ginseng + Snail Mucin Versus The Derma Co 2% Kojic Acid Face Serum

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

This brightening serum is formulated around Kojic Acid and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

Ethoxydiglycol

Kojic Acid

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Pentylene Glycol

Alpha-Arbutin

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Panthenol

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Metabisulfite

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Proline

Hydroxyproline

Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate

Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside

Hydroxypropylcellulose

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Caprylyl Glycol

CI 19140

Silica

Astragalus Gummifer Gum

Citric Acid

Water, Propanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Kojic Acid, Niacinamide, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alpha-Arbutin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Metabisulfite, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Proline, Hydroxyproline, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, CI 19140, Silica, Astragalus Gummifer Gum, Citric 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.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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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