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Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Arbutin

Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Arbutin This brightening serum is formulated around Arbutin and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This brighteni

Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Arbutin

This brightening serum is formulated around Arbutin and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This brightening serum is formulated around Alpha-Arbutin and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Arbutin

1,2-Hexanediol

Propanediol

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycerin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tocopherol

Water, Arbutin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol

Oryza Sativa Bran Water 68.6%

Butylene Glycol

Alpha-Arbutin 2%

Niacinamide

Methyl Gluceth-20

Panthenol

Polyglycerin-3

Trehalose

Glyceryl Glucoside

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Xanthan Gum

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Arginine

Disodium EDTA

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Sorbitan Isostearate

Glucose

Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Hordeum Distichon Extract

Oryza Sativa Extract

Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract

Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract

Vigna Radiata Seed Extract

Zea Mays Kernel Extract

Oryza Sativa Bran Water 68.6%, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Alpha-Arbutin 2%, Niacinamide, Methyl Gluceth-20, Panthenol, Polyglycerin-3, Trehalose, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Disodium EDTA, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glucose, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Zea Mays Kernel 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

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

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.

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.

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Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 031,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
  4. 04It is a:
  5. 05Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  6. 06Emollient, helping to soften skin
  7. 07Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  8. 08Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
  9. 09Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
  10. 10As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
  11. 11It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
  12. 12A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
  13. 13Biosaccharide Gum-1 is a sugar created by fermenting sorbitol (which usually comes from potato starch!). It is known for its soothing and moisturizing properties.
  14. 14Manufacturer tests show this ingredient helped reduce irritation from lactic acid by almost half and kept skin hydrated long-term as a humectant
  15. 15Beyond hydration, Biosaccharide Gum-1 gives formulas a silky, non-sticky feel.
  16. 16This ingredient is gentle, versatile, and suitable for all skin types.
  17. 17Fun fact: Similar sugars can be found naturally in fruits like apples and pears.
  18. 18This ingredient is better known as bemotrizinol or Tinosorb S and is one of the best broad-spectrum UV filters in modern sunscreen.
  19. 19It works by absorbing UV light across a whole range (280-400 nm) with peaks around 310 nm (UVB) and 340-345 nm (UVA). This means it covers UVB plus the deeper UVA wavelengths that drive photoaging and pigmentation.
  20. 20Another pro?
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

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