Skin science article
Smuuti Skin Watermelon Sorbet Balm Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm
Smuuti Skin Watermelon Sorbet Balm Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Ethylhexyl Palmi
Smuuti Skin Watermelon Sorbet Balm Versus Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm
This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Isopropyl Palmitate
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Triethylhexanoin
Synthetic Wax
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
1,2-Hexanediol
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Potassium Hyaluronate
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Copper Tripeptide-1
Nonapeptide-1
Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Hexapeptide-9
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Buteth-3
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
Tributyl Citrate
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Triethylhexanoin, Synthetic Wax, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Nonapeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Buteth-3, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Tributyl Citrate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
PEG-10 Isostearate
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Oryza Sativa Seed Water
Propanediol
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Oryza Sativa Extract
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
Ethylhexylglycerin
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Synthetic Wax, PEG-10 Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Water, Oryza Sativa Seed Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Butylene Glycol, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol
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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
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.
Synthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
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!