Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water versus SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on February 23, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Essence South Korean Brand South Korea
Toner South Korean Brand South Korea

Essence

Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy Ginseng Essence Water

Starts at $13.50
Shop

Buy Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner

Starts at $11.39

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
5.84
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Ceramides
Hyaluronic Acid (2)

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Irritating
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 2.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 2.

2
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

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.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 5.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.

In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 6.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 7.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

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.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 10.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 26.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.

Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.

Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.

In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.

Learn more about Adenosine

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 14.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 20.

7
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 22.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 7.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water contains this as ingredient number 23.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner contains this as ingredient number 18.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

79% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
8% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
45% are loved or liked
21% have mixed ratings
12% are disliked or very disliked
21% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water 24 ingredients

4.2 /5
from 38 reviews
laila.21's Avatar'
Jan 26, 2024

It gives a nice hydrating boost but I didn't see much difference, so I'm still stuck with the first bottle after 4 months.
It stings sometimes so I wouldn't repurchase it again.
🎀Update: I gave this product another chance to see if it...

It gives a nice hydrating boost but I didn't see much difference, so I'm still stuck with the first bottle after 4 months.
It stings sometimes so I wouldn't repurchase it again.
🎀Update: I gave this product another chance to see if it works since the ingredients were too good, so I used it as a toner for 15 days and I loved it.
Not only did it hydrate my skin, but it brightened my old acne marks and face in general.
But it was my mistake using it with the Anua toner as it burnt with it.
sorry for judging too early 😭 and I think I would repurchase it.

Hydrating
Light
Light Scent
Doesn't Work
Like review
16 likes
rachaelolivia's Avatar'
Jan 26, 2024

love this!!! <3 i got this about a year ago and it helped my skin a lot, it’s so hydrating for me and gives me a nice glow without being oily. it also has great ingredients! i have very oily + blemished skin but also sensitive and can...

love this!!! <3 i got this about a year ago and it helped my skin a lot, it’s so hydrating for me and gives me a nice glow without being oily. it also has great ingredients! i have very oily + blemished skin but also sensitive and can get dry patches and this never breaks me out. i stopped using this after a while and tried other things but have gone back to this as it’s the best for my skin. it reduces sensitivity and helps brighten my dark spots from old spots and helps heal new ones :)

Great Value
Hydrating
Light
Absorbs Well
Works Well
Aquila's Avatar'
Jan 5, 2022

My new HOLY GRAIL
I have super sensitive, reactive, combo skin. This makes finding products that don't irritate me a real challenge. This essence is amazing. No harsh ingredients, no fragrance (my biggest irritant!!), just a super...

My new HOLY GRAIL
I have super sensitive, reactive, combo skin. This makes finding products that don't irritate me a real challenge. This essence is amazing. No harsh ingredients, no fragrance (my biggest irritant!!), just a super refreshing, cooling, and soothing product. The directions say to use after cleanser and toner; however, I use this in place of toner and layer it with my moisturizer. This is a new staple in my routine and I will be repurchasing!

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner 33 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 reviews
Samantha_628's Avatar'
Dec 22, 2023

Great toner! I have sensitive skin and this is very soothing. I’ve been using it for three weeks and I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in my pores and pigmentation. you also get a huge bottle so it's great value for money. I removed...

Great toner! I have sensitive skin and this is very soothing. I’ve been using it for three weeks and I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in my pores and pigmentation. you also get a huge bottle so it's great value for money. I removed a star only because it can be irritating if you have VERY sensitive skin (like I do) and you use it after a BHA cleanser.

Great Value
Hydrating
Absorbs Well
Light Scent

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water.

See 50 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner.

See 50 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...