COSRX Cica Clear Cleansing Oil Versus Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil

COSRX Cica Clear Cleansing Oil Versus Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil

This oil-based cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.

This oil-based cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate

Triethylhexanoin

Glycine Soja Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Tocopherol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Water

1,2-Hexanediol

Centella Asiatica Extract

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Centella Asiatica Root Extract

Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract

Asiaticoside

Asiatic Acid

Madecassoside

Madecassic Acid

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Triethylhexanoin, Glycine Soja Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Isododecane

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil

Octyldodecanol

Polybutene

Salvia Officinalis Oil

Panax Ginseng Seed Oil

Artemisia Vulgaris Oil

Ocimum Basilicum Oil

Corylus Avellana Seed Oil

Nigella Sativa Seed Oil

Butylene Glycol

Panax Ginseng Berry Extract

Glycerin

Methylpropanediol

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Ethyl Hexanediol

Panax Ginseng Extract

Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract

Glycine Soja Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Isododecane, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Octyldodecanol, Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Tocopherol, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Corylus Avellana Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ethyl Hexanediol, Panax Ginseng Extract, Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin

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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.

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

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%.

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.

Glycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.

The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.

On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.

Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.

Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.

This ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.

The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.

Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.

The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.

Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.

It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).

Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.

Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.

Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is a surfactant and emulsifier.

This ingredient is a tetraester from oleic acid and polyethylene glycol ether of sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it helps ingredients such as oil and water mix together. This allows the dirt and oils in your skin to be washed away.

One study found pumpkin oil containing Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate helped hydrate the skin and did not cause any irritation.

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!

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