Skin science article
COSRX Cica Clear Cleansing Oil Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm
COSRX Cica Clear Cleansing Oil Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm This oil-based cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin. This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup. What's insid
COSRX Cica Clear Cleansing Oil Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm
This oil-based cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.
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
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
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Synthetic Wax
PEG-10 Isostearate
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Oryza Sativa Seed Water
Glycerin
Propanediol
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Butylene Glycol
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Oryza Sativa Extract
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
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
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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%.
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).
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.
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!