Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.

Silica is often used for absorption and can help reduce shine when products are applied. Silica occurs in naturally in materials like clay and sandstone, and it can also be produced synthetically.

Silica is present naturally within the skin during collagen production and when reducing inflammation.

Learn more about Silica

Water

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

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.
It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Glycerin

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

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.

Ingredient Ratings

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

Matte Sun Stick: Mugwort + Camelia SPF 50 PA++++

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

When to use

Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick: Mugwort + Camelia SPF 50 PA++++ 48 ingredients

ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 42 ingredients

365 Routines

98% use in am

2% use in pm

85% use every day

When to use See routines that use it ->

1,650 Routines

37% use in am

63% use in pm

95% use every day

When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick: Mugwort + Camelia SPF 50 PA++++ 48 ingredients

3.5 /5

from 24 ratings

No Scent (9) Heavy (6) Works Well (6)

Claire L.

12 months ago

Review

I love this for secondary application. I don't feel confident in getting an even application with the stick alone, so I start with the BOJ Relief Sun in the morning and use the stick for reapplication during the day. I love the matte effect and how soft my skin feels. The small size slips easily into my purse. I'm obsessed with BOJ sunscreens!

#absorbs well

#no scent

#works well

Beauty of Joseon

Matte Sun Stick: Mugwort + Camelia SPF 50 PA++++

BrianO_698

2 years ago

Review

Balances oily skin
My skin type is redness-prone, oily, and acne-prone.
The sunstick has a satin finish. It’s quite effective at absorbing facial oils that accumulate as the day progresses. I noticed less redness in my skin tone, likely from the mugwort and camelia.
Have used the BoJ Rice Sunscreen, Bioré UV watery essence, COSRX aloe sunscreen, IsnTree Hyaluronic Aid Airy Sunstick, Nivea Show more

Beauty of Joseon

Matte Sun Stick: Mugwort + Camelia SPF 50 PA++++

ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 42 ingredients

3.4 /5

from 56 ratings

Heavy (21) No Scent (18) Great Value (18)

raggedrobbin

1 year ago

Review

Unexpectedly nice on my sensitive and acne-prone skin. Didn't cause breakouts
and didn't feel heavy at all and worked great under makeup.

UPDATE:

I've come back to say that this is officially my moisturizer endgame and ultimate HG.

After trying out almost all of the (AB and non AB) barrier / repair moisturizers raved about online, my verdict is that not only is this (still) the Show more

#great value

#hydrating

#absorbs well

#no scent

ILLIYOON

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

Butter

1 year ago

Review

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 🤎

🥥 𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞: 𝐃𝐫𝐲/𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐜𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞.

🪴 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬:

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬 & 𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐜𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 Show more

#great value

#hydrating

#no scent

#works well

ILLIYOON

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream