Skin science article
Bioderma Pigmentbio C Concentrate Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Arbutin
Bioderma Pigmentbio C Concentrate Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Arbutin This brightening serum is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This brightening ser
Bioderma Pigmentbio C Concentrate Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Arbutin
This brightening serum is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
This brightening serum is formulated around Alpha-Arbutin and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propanediol
Glycolic Acid
Glycerin
Dipropylene Glycol
Propylheptyl Caprylate
Sodium Hydroxide
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Niacinamide
Salicylic Acid
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Pentylene Glycol
Tocopheryl Acetate
Xanthan Gum
Sodium Citrate
Lysine
Azelaic Acid
Mannitol
Xylitol
Sodium Metabisulfite
Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract
Rhamnose
Saccharide Isomerate
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Tocopherol
Fructooligosaccharides
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Parfum
Water, Propanediol, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Lysine, Azelaic Acid, Mannitol, Xylitol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract, Rhamnose, Saccharide Isomerate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tocopherol, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Parfum
Oryza Sativa Bran Water 68.6%
Butylene Glycol
1,2-Hexanediol
Alpha-Arbutin 2%
Methyl Gluceth-20
Panthenol
Polyglycerin-3
Trehalose
Glyceryl Glucoside
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Arginine
Disodium EDTA
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Sorbitan Isostearate
Glucose
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Hordeum Distichon Extract
Oryza Sativa Extract
Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract
Vigna Radiata Seed Extract
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Oryza Sativa Bran Water 68.6%, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Alpha-Arbutin 2%, Niacinamide, Methyl Gluceth-20, Panthenol, Polyglycerin-3, Trehalose, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Disodium EDTA, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glucose, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Zea Mays Kernel Extract
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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.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
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.
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.