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Dr.Melaxin Eyephalt Retinol Eyebag Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal

Dr.Melaxin Eyephalt Retinol Eyebag Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging eye moist

Dr.Melaxin Eyephalt Retinol Eyebag Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Niacinamide

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

1,2-Hexanediol

Vp/Va Copolymer

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Amodimethicone

Polysorbate 80

Butylene Glycol

Canola Oil

Caprylyl Glycol

Sorbitan Oleate

Ethylhexylglycerin

C12-14 Sec-Alketh-5

Adenosine

Illicium Verum Fruit Extract

Pentylene Glycol

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine

Retinol

Propylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Alcohol

PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol

Brassica Alcohol

Ceteareth-5

Ceteareth-3

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

BHT

Cholesterol

Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil

Lecithin

Sodium Phosphate

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Hydrolyzed Sponge

Tocopheryl Acetate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Beta-Carotene

Soluble Collagen

Caffeine

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Potassium Hyaluronate

Disodium EDTA

Parfum

Coumarin

Linalool

Water, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Amodimethicone, Polysorbate 80, Butylene Glycol, Canola Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-14 Sec-Alketh-5, Adenosine, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Retinol, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Alcohol, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, Brassica Alcohol, Ceteareth-5, Ceteareth-3, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, BHT, Cholesterol, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Lecithin, Sodium Phosphate, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, Soluble Collagen, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Coumarin, Linalool

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Dipropylene Glycol

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Olivate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tromethamine

Carbomer

Glyceryl Stearate

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Dextrin

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Retinal

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Silica

Tocopherol

Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Ceramide NP

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Water, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Retinal, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Disodium EDTA, 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

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

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%.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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 Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Butylene Glycol
  3. 03Glycerin
  4. 04Squalane
  5. 051,2-Hexanediol
  6. 06Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
  7. 07Carbomer
  8. 08Tromethamine
  9. 09Glyceryl Caprylate
  10. 10Ethylhexylglycerin
  11. 11Disodium EDTA
  12. 12Natto Gum
  13. 13Stearic Acid
  14. 14Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
  15. 15Mannitol
  16. 16PCA
  17. 17Lactic Acid
  18. 18Glucose
  19. 19Glycine
  20. 20Urea
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side