Essence
General Moisturizer
Korean South Korea
Korean South Korea

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Vegetable Oil

Skin Conditioning
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Emollient
Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Skin Conditioning
Vitamin C IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Propolis Extract

Skin Conditioning
Propolis IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Dipropylene Glycol

Humectant

Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Skin Protecting
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Hydroxyacetophenone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Alcohol

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Masking
Oil Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Rosa Centifolia Flower Water

Skin Conditioning

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Adenosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Fructooligosaccharides

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil

Masking
Oil Icon

Beta-Glucan

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Centella Asiatica Extract

Cleansing
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Cleansing

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Emollient
0 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil

Masking
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance Icon

Acmella Oleracea Extract

Skin Protecting

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract

Skin Conditioning

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Dextrin

Absorbent

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Masking
Helps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Royal Jelly Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hamamelis Virginiana Extract

Antiseborrhoeic
Can worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Lupinus Albus Seed Extract

Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Reviews

4.29
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Hydrating 65% Works Well 59% Absorbs Well 50%
2.50
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Heavy 100% Broke Me Out 50% Light Scent 50%

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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 
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

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 Glycol
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing

Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.

Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.

Studies show the compounds in centella help with:

The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.

Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.

Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

Learn more about Centella Asiatica Extract
Skin Conditioning

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

Learn more about Ceramide NP
Absorbent

Dextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.

As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.

Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.

Learn more about Dextrin
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin 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 Ethylhexylglycerin

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract comes from the fruit known as the fig. Figs are rich in antioxidants and helps hydrate the skin.

Figs also contain fatty acids and Vitamins A, B1, and B2.

As a humectant, figs are able to draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

Learn more about Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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.

Learn more about Glycerin
Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

Learn more about Hydrogenated Lecithin
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

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.

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.

Cacao seed extract contains antioxidants known as polyphenols.

Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol
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. Remember to stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

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