Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Refiner Versus Tirtir Milk Skin Toner Light

Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Refiner Versus Tirtir Milk Skin Toner Light This hydrating essence is formulated around Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This hydrating toner is formulated around Niacinami

Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Refiner Versus Tirtir Milk Skin Toner Light

This hydrating essence is formulated around Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

This hydrating toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Isopentyldiol

1,2-Hexanediol

Squalane

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Inulin Lauryl Carbamate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Propanediol

Disodium EDTA

Carbomer

Mannitol

Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Xanthan Gum

Ceramide NP

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

Tocopherol

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Isopentyldiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Mannitol, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11

Niacinamide

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Styrene/Vp Copolymer

Panthenol

Allantoin

Betaine

Sodium PCA

Adenosine

Illicium Verum Fruit Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Arginine

Centella Asiatica Extract

Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract

Amaranthus Caudatus Extract

Olea Europaea Leaf Extract

Veronica Officinalis Extract

Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Beta-Glucan

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, Allantoin, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Arginine, Carbomer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Veronica Officinalis Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

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

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.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

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%.

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.

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. 09Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  10. 10Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  11. 11Though 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.
  12. 12Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
  13. 13Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  14. 14It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  15. 15Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  16. 16A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
  17. 17Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
  18. 18This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
  19. 19On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
  20. 20One 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 st…
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side