Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser Versus Pretty Skin The Pure Jeju Cica Cleansing Foam
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Fruit Water
HumectantCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Prunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Dextrin
AbsorbentMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Prunus Mume Fruit Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Coconut Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Isethionate, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dextrin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-32
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Methyltaurate
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract
AstringentMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-32, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-150 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Methyltaurate, Allantoin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyquaternium-7, Coconut Acid, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Mentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propolis Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate
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
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.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCoconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids obtains by hydrolyzing coconut oil and then distilling the fatty acid portion. It works as a cleansing surfactant, emollient, and emulsifier depending on the formulation.
This ingredient is not a single compound but reflects the fatty acid profile of coconut oil itself, which is about 90% saturated. The dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (44-54%) and then myristic acid (13-19%). There are small amount of caprylic, capric, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Human testing from CIR has shown no indication this ingredient to be a primary irritant, sensitizer, or phototoxic compound. It's also COSMOS-approved for natural and organic products.
Due to the high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Coconut AcidDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
