Clinique Take The Day Off Charcoal Cleansing Balm Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm

Clinique Take The Day Off Charcoal Cleansing Balm Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm

This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate

Synthetic Wax

PEG-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate

Charcoal Powder

Tocopherol

Caprylyl Glycol

Water

Silica Dimethyl Silylate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Synthetic Wax, PEG-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Charcoal Powder, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Water, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Phenoxyethanol

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate

PEG-10 Isostearate

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Oryza Sativa Seed Water

Glycerin

Propanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Butylene Glycol

Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract

Oryza Sativa Extract

Avena Sativa Meal Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Synthetic Wax, PEG-10 Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Water, Oryza Sativa Seed Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Butylene Glycol, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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).

Synthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.

Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.

It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.

This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.

Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.

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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