Sungboon Editor Green Tomato Pore Lifting Serum Plain Versus Numbuzin No.3 Skin Softening Serum

Sungboon Editor Green Tomato Pore Lifting Serum Plain Versus Numbuzin No.3 Skin Softening Serum

This pore-care serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to refine the look of pores and soften the look of wrinkles.

This smoothing serum is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate to refine skin texture and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycereth-26

Niacinamide

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Betaine

Phenyl Trimethicone

C12-14 Alketh-12

Tromethamine

Panthenol

Allantoin

Carbomer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Hydroxyacetophenone

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract

Trehalose

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Cucurbita Pepo Powder

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Coral Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Pinus Pinaster Leaf Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract

Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Phenyl Trimethicone, C12-14 Alketh-12, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Trehalose, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Powder, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Coral Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Pinus Pinaster Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate

Methyl Gluceth-20

PEG-90

Squalane

Alteromonas Ferment Extract

Silk Extract

Goat Milk Extract

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Tropolone

Bifida Ferment Lysate, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Water, Niacinamide, PEG-90, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Silk Extract, Goat Milk Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Adenosine, Glycereth-26, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Disodium EDTA

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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

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

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).

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.

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%.

Glycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.

It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.

As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay 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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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