Skin science article
ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream (Old Formulation)
ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream (Old Formulation) This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea and Panax Ginseng Root Water to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream (Old Formulation)
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea and Panax Ginseng Root Water to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
Stearic Acid
Behenyl Alcohol
Palmitic Acid
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
1,2-Hexanediol
Arachidyl Alcohol
C14-22 Alcohols
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Polyacrylate-13
Arachidyl Glucoside
Mannitol
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Polyisobutene
Glyceryl Caprylate
Panax Ginseng Root Water
Ethylhexylglycerin
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
Sorbitan Isostearate
Carbomer
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Myristic Acid
Arachidic Acid
Cholesterol
Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Glucose
Silica
Glycine Max Oil
Ceramide NP
Phytosphingosine
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Tocopherol
Canola Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, C14-22 Alcohols, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Polyacrylate-13, Arachidyl Glucoside, Mannitol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Caprylate, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Cholesterol, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Glucose, Silica, Glycine Max Oil, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Niacinamide
Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters
Sodium Hyaluronate
Xanthan Gum
Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclohexasiloxane
C14-28 Alkyl Acid
Stearyl Alcohol
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Adenosine
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Cetearyl Alcohol
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Tocopheryl Acetate
Sodium Polyacrylate
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Centella Asiatica Extract
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Trehalose
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Raphanus Sativus Leaf Extract
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Cucurbitaceae Extract
Orchid Extract
Honey Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Ceteareth-20
Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
Parfum
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C14-28 Alkyl Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Adenosine, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceramide NP, Trehalose, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Raphanus Sativus Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Cucurbitaceae Extract, Orchid Extract, Honey Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Phytosphingosine, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Parfum
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
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
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.
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.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
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.
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).
Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin as a building block for ceramides.. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.
Phytosphingosine contributes to your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.
Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.
Fun fact: Phytosphingosine is abundant in plants and fungi.
More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:
Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.
Polyacrylate-13 creates a film to protect the skin. It is also used to thicken and stabilize a product. It works by making water a gel-like consistency. This gel consistency helps suspend particles.
Polyacrylate-13 is a copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide, sodium acrylate, sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate monomers
Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.
It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.
Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
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!