Abib Glutathiosome Dark Spot Toner Skin Booster Versus innisfree Youth Enhancing Treatment Essence with Black Tea + Peptides
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPolyglycerin-3
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingErythritol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantGlutathione
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantChitosan
Ascorbic Acid
AntioxidantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningMalus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingPropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBenzyl Glycol
SolventBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Polyglycerin-3, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassoside, Glutathione, Acetyl Glucosamine, Asiaticoside, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Chitosan, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ceramide NP, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Allantoin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Lactic Acid, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water 95%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentEctoin
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Mannitol
HumectantSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Polypeptide
Skin ConditioningArginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Heptapeptide-4
HumectantSorbic Acid
PreservativeHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcetyl Octapeptide-3
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water 95%, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dextrin, Ectoin, Hyaluronic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glutathione, Mannitol, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Glycine Max Polypeptide, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Copper Tripeptide-1, Disodium EDTA, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Sorbic Acid, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Reviews
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
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAdenosine 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.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium 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%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in our bodies. It is made up of three amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid.
As an antioxidant, it prevents oxidative damage to parts of our cell.
While glutathione is said to help with fading dark spots, the results from research are inconclusive. Further studies are needed. With that said, gluthatione has been shown to protect our skin from UV-B induced damage.
This ingredient is naturally occurring in plants, animals, fungi, and some bacteria.
Learn more about GlutathioneGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidNiacinamide 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.
Learn more about NiacinamidePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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!
Learn more about Water