Skin science article
Dear, Klairs Fundamental Water Gel Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream
Dear, Klairs Fundamental Water Gel Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Pan
Dear, Klairs Fundamental Water Gel Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream
This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Water and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Water
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
1,2-Hexanediol
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Panthenol
Oryza Sativa Extract
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Centella Asiatica Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Phytosphingosine
Caproyl Sphingosine
Tocopherol
Glyceryl Glucoside
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Trehalose
Jojoba Esters
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Ethylhexylglycerin
Cyclohexasiloxane
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Panthenol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phytosphingosine, Caproyl Sphingosine, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Trehalose, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Niacinamide
Squalane
Propanediol
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Xanthan Gum
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Tromethamine
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
Adenosine
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Disodium EDTA
Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Honey Extract
Ceramide NP
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Phellinus Linteus Extract
Dextrin
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Water, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Glycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Hydrogenated Polydecene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Honey Extract, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Dextrin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
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
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.
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.
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer is made up of glycerin and polyacrylic acid. It helps hydrate your skin as a humectant.
This ingredient forms a hydrogel that delivers moisturizing, water-based ingredients to the skin. It is also used to thicken a product and to give it a smooth texture.
Acrylic acid itself is toxic, but the polymer form (this ingredient) is too large to penetrate skin, making it non-toxic.
Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Hydrogenated Polydecene is a synthetic emollient. It forms a non-occlusive film on the skin's surface to provide a silky feel without being greasy.
In vivo studies in volunteers with atopic and dry skin showed no irritation or intolerance. The volunteers also saw a positive effect in dryness, scaling, and roughness after 28 days of use.
Concentrations up to 100% in guinea pig tests found it to be non-sensitizing and completely safe for use in cosmetics.
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
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!