Skin science article
Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer Versus Numbuzin No.5 Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Toner
Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer Versus Numbuzin No.5 Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Toner This hydrating toner is formulated around Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil and Ceramide AP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This brightening toner is for
Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer Versus Numbuzin No.5 Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Toner
This hydrating toner is formulated around Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil and Ceramide AP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This brightening toner is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Ceramide AP
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, Ceramide AP, 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
Dipropylene Glycol
Niacinamide
Polyglycerin-3
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Tromethamine
Erythritol
Pentylene Glycol
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Adenosine
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Glutathione
Madecassoside
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Decyl Glucoside
Caprylyl Glycol
Bisabolol
Panthenol
Ascorbic Acid
Arbutin
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Hexapeptide-9
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Nonapeptide-1
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polyglycerin-3, Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Erythritol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glutathione, Disodium EDTA, Madecassoside, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Ascorbic Acid, Arbutin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Nonapeptide-1
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.
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%.
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.
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!