Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner Versus Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner Versus Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel This smoothing toner is formulated around Salix Alba Bark Water and Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This exfoliator is formulated ar

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner Versus Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel

This smoothing toner is formulated around Salix Alba Bark Water and Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

This exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose to control oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Salix Alba Bark Water

Pyrus Malus Fruit Water

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sodium Lactate

Glycolic Acid

Betaine Salicylate

Allantoin

Panthenol

Ethyl Hexanediol

Water, Salix Alba Bark Water, Pyrus Malus Fruit Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Lactate, Glycolic Acid, Betaine Salicylate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ethyl Hexanediol

Prunus Mume Flower Water

Cellulose

Methylpropanediol

Carbomer

Arginine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sorbitol

Disodium EDTA

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract

Oryza Sativa Extract

Prunus Mume Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Water, Prunus Mume Flower Water, Cellulose, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Sorbitol, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Butylene 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.

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

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

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.

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. 031,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
  4. 04It is a:
  5. 05Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  6. 06Emollient, helping to soften skin
  7. 07Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  8. 08Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
  9. 09Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  10. 10Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  11. 11Though 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.
  12. 12This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
  13. 13Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
  14. 14In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
  15. 15Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
  16. 16Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
  17. 17While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
  18. 18This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
  19. 19Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  20. 20Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side