Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

BOH Bio Heal Vitamin Hyaluronic Gel Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel

BOH Bio Heal Vitamin Hyaluronic Gel Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin. This calming moisturizer is formulated aro

BOH Bio Heal Vitamin Hyaluronic Gel Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Allantoin to calm redness and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Alcohol Denat.

Dipropylene Glycol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

Trisiloxane

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Cyclohexasiloxane

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

C12-16 Alcohols

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Polysilicone-11

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

Palmitic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Adenosine

Sorbitan Isostearate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Polyquaternium-51

Sodium Hyaluronate

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Ceramide NP

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Potassium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Biotin

Pyridoxine

Panthenol

Folic Acid

Cyanocobalamin

Beta-Carotene

Riboflavin

Linoleic Acid

Tocopherol

Thiamine Hcl

Inositol

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Trisiloxane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C12-16 Alcohols, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polysilicone-11, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Palmitic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Panthenol, Folic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Beta-Carotene, Riboflavin, Linoleic Acid, Tocopherol, Thiamine Hcl, Inositol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin

Methyl Trimethicone

Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Glyceryl Glucoside

C12-14 Alketh-12

Maltodextrin

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Betaine

Allantoin

Xanthan Gum

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Glucose

Sodium Citrate

Beta-Glucan

Hydrolyzed Corn Starch

Citric Acid

Sucrose

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

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

Reviews

Be the first to review

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

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

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).

Cyanocobalamin is the manufactured version of vitamin B12. It has skin soothing, antioxidant, and barrier protecting properties. Topical cyanocobalamin is used to treat skin irritation and atopic dermatitis.

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.

Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.

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%.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Polyquaternium-51 is a polymer salt. It helps hydrate the skin by creating a film on top. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
  4. 04This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
  5. 05On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
  6. 06One 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 st…
  7. 07Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
  8. 08You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
  9. 09Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  10. 10The 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 …
  11. 11Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  12. 12Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  13. 13Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  14. 14Your 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.
  15. 15Aquaporin-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.
  16. 16This 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.
  17. 17Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  18. 18Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  19. 19Ginseng root is a well-loved ingredient in Asian skincare for good reason. It hydrates the skin, soothes irritation, and helps even out skin tone.
  20. 20In traditional East Asian medicine, ginseng has been used for centuries both as food and as a healing remedy, and modern research continues to confirm its skin benefits.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side