Skin science article
Fraijour Retin-Collagen 3D Core Eye Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal
Fraijour Retin-Collagen 3D Core Eye Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Collagen Extract and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This anti-aging eye mois
Fraijour Retin-Collagen 3D Core Eye Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Collagen Extract and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
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
Glycerin
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Cyclopentasiloxane
Polypropylsilsesquioxane
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Butylene Glycol
Diglycerin
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Cetyl Alcohol
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Glyceryl Stearate
1,2-Hexanediol
Sodium Hyaluronate
Caprylyl Glycol
Collagen Extract
Collagen
Soluble Collagen
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Collagen Amino Acids
Sodium Soy Hydrolyzed Collagen
Zinc Hydrolyzed Collagen
Microcrystalline Wax
Propanediol
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Bixa Orellana Seed Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Glycine Soja Oil
Tocopherol
Atelocollagen
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Salvia Sclarea Extract
Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract
Chamomilla Recutita Flower/Leaf Extract
Borago Officinalis Extract
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Ethylhexylglycerin
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
Medicago Sativa Extract
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Brassica Campestris Extract
Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract
Allantoin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Bakuchiol
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Copper Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Nonapeptide-1
Dipeptide-2
Tripeptide-1
Hexapeptide-9
Adenosine
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Ceramide NP
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Retinal
Lecithin
Ascorbic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Collagen Extract, Collagen, Soluble Collagen, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Collagen Amino Acids, Sodium Soy Hydrolyzed Collagen, Zinc Hydrolyzed Collagen, Microcrystalline Wax, Propanediol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Atelocollagen, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower/Leaf Extract, Borago Officinalis Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Brassica Campestris Extract, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bakuchiol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Nonapeptide-1, Dipeptide-2, Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ceramide NP, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Retinal, Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Dipropylene Glycol
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Niacinamide
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Sorbitan Olivate
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Tromethamine
Carbomer
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Dextrin
Cholesterol
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Brassica Campestris Sterols
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Silica
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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%.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
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.
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.
This ingredient is also known as Macadamia Seed Oil. It's an emollient with a fatty acid profile that closely mirrors the skin's own lipid makeup.
The palmitoleic acid content is especially notable as it's somewhat rare in plant oils. Palmitoleic acid is something your skin already makes naturally. It helps keep cell membranes structured and plays a role in fighting off harmful microbes.
This palmitoleic content is also part of why macademia seed oil absorbs quickly and doesn't leave much of a greasy residue.
It also contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, and phytosterols that can help reduce redness.
In vitro research has shown the oil to have meaningful antioxidant activity, protect fats in the skin from oxidative damage, and slow down the enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid.
A 2024 clinical study found it effective at improving skin hydratino and reducing wrinkle appearance when formulated into nanoemulsions.
Because it carries oleic acid (C18) and palmitic acid (C16), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the Malassezia yeast metabolizes in the C11-24 chain length range.
You'll also see this ingredient listed as: Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil .
These two oils are identical in composition and M. ternifolia is an older INCI naming convention for the edible macadamia nut while M. integrifolia is the species actually cultivated for oil production. Both names refer to the same oil.
Retinal (aka retinaldehyde) is a form of retinoid that formulators use mainly as an antiaging and skin-renewing active.
What makes it special is its position in the retinoid family; skin converts it to retinoic acid (the prescription gold standard) in just one step.
Because retinal only requires 1 conversion step to become retinoic acid, it's the strongest over-the-counter retinoid. It also works at lower concentrations than retinol, since retinal is about 10x more bioavailable.
Studies back up its efficacy in skin:
A foundational trial showed that applying 0.05-0.5% retinal for 1-3 months produced a dose-dependent and significant increase in epidermal thickness + cell turnover markers.
And a head-to-head comparison of 0.05% retinal against a 0.05% retinoid acid found both formulations were effective for the basis of wrinkle/skin roughness features, but retinoic acid caused more local irritation.
More recent controlled trials confirm it improves wrinkles, dermal density, and firmness over 12-24 weeks, with significant improvements in skin texture and firmness (particularly with the higher 0.1% concentration).
Retinal also has one trick the other retinoids do not: it directly fights against acne bacteria since a clinical study showed retinaldehyde-treated areas displayed a significant decrease in counts of viable P. acnes.
This makes it a great pick for people who want to treat aging and breakouts.
Typical cosmetic use sits in the 0.05-0.1% range with 0.05% being the gentle starting point and 0.1% giving stronger results.
Like all retinoids, retinal works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen. It can cause some irritation so ease into it slowly rather than going all in.
The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinal once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low.
Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.
Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.
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.
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!