Skin science article
Emina Bright Stuff Tone Up Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal
Emina Bright Stuff Tone Up Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Arbutin to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This anti-aging eye moisturiz
Emina Bright Stuff Tone Up Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Arbutin to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
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
Titanium Dioxide
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
Niacinamide
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Propylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Stearic Acid
Glyceryl Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor
Polyacrylamide
Cetyl Alcohol
Cyclopentasiloxane
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
PEG-100 Stearate
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Allantoin
Panthenol
Tocopheryl Acetate
Laureth-7
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Butylene Glycol
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Aluminum Hydroxide
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Parfum
Actinidia Polygama Fruit Extract
Arbutin
Citric Acid
Sodium Sulfite
Acetyl Tyrosine
Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Glutathione
PEG-40 Castor Oil
Triethanolamine
Hexylene Glycol
Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer
CI 12490
Water, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Niacinamide, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor, Polyacrylamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, PEG-100 Stearate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Allantoin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Parfum, Actinidia Polygama Fruit Extract, Arbutin, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfite, Acetyl Tyrosine, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glutathione, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Hexylene Glycol, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, CI 12490
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Glycerin
Dipropylene Glycol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
1,2-Hexanediol
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Sorbitan Olivate
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Tromethamine
Carbomer
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
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.
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!