Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Isntree Green Tea Fresh Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol

Isntree Green Tea Fresh Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol This oil-control serum is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Niacinamide to balance excess oil and calm redness. This calming serum is formulated aroun

Isntree Green Tea Fresh Serum Versus Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol

This oil-control serum is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Niacinamide to balance excess oil and calm redness.

This calming serum is formulated around Panthenol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Propanediol

Dipropylene Glycol

Niacinamide

1,2-Hexanediol

Panthenol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Squalane

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Allantoin

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Betaine

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Adenosine

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Bacillus Ferment

Vigna Radiata Seed Extract

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract

Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Brassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Squalane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Allantoin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Bacillus Ferment, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

Artemisia Capillaris Extract

Ceramide AP

Methylpropanediol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Polyquaternium-51

Malt Extract

Punica Granatum Extract

Clitoria Ternatea Flower Extract

Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polyquaternium-51, Malt Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Clitoria Ternatea Flower Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate

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

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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.

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.

Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.

It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.

This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.

Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.

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 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. 09Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  10. 10Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  11. 11Your 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.
  12. 12Aquaporin-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.
  13. 13This 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.
  14. 14Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  15. 15Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  16. 16Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
  17. 17Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
  18. 18The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
  19. 19It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
  20. 20In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

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Comparison edit

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