Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

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!

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. 12Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
  13. 13There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
  14. 14D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
  15. 15Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
  16. 16Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
  17. 17This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
  18. 18Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
  19. 19This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
  20. 20Water. 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.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side