Styling Creams & Spray
Styling Creams & Spray
Korean South Korea
Korean South Korea

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Alcohol Denat.

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Good for Oily Skin Icon

C12-14 Alketh-12

Emulsifying

Parfum

Masking
Synthetic Fragrance IconFragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Tromethamine

Buffering

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores Icon

Polypropylsilsesquioxane

Silicon Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Menthol

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Hydroxyacetophenone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning
Good for Barrier Repair Icon

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Disodium EDTA

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

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment

Humectant
May worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Bleaching
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Prunus Serrulata Fruit Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Astringent
Helps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Masking
May cause irritation Icon

Quercus Mongolica Bark Extract

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Helps reduce irritation Icon

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Biotin

Antiseborrhoeic

Serine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Alanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Valine

Masking

Leucine

Skin Conditioning

Isoleucine

Skin Conditioning

Threonine

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Cysteine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Lysine

Skin Conditioning

Glutamic Acid

Humectant
Helps reduce irritation Icon

Glutamine

Skin Conditioning

Histidine

Humectant
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Phenylalanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Arginine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Methionine

Skin Conditioning

Tryptophan

Masking

Proline

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Tyrosine

Masking

Aspartic Acid

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Asparagine

Masking

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Limonene

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Citronellol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Benzyl Salicylate

Perfuming
Synthetic Fragrance IconFragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Coumarin

Perfuming
Synthetic Fragrance IconFragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Linalool

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Benzyl Alcohol

Perfuming
Alcohol IconSynthetic Fragrance IconFragrance IconPreservative IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Citral

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Geraniol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Amyl Cinnamal

Perfuming
Synthetic Fragrance IconFragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Hydroxycitronellal

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

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 
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.

Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.

The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).

This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.

However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.

Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.

This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.

Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.

Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.

The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.

One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).

Also...

This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.

The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.

Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.

This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.

Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.

It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.

A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.

Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.

One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.

Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.

Learn more about Arginine
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Aspartic Acid is an amino acid that our bodies produce naturally. It is an antioxidant.

Our body uses Aspartic Acid to help build collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in hydrating skin.

Antioxidant, Masking

Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that your body naturally makes and uses to build keratin (the protein in your hair, skin, and nails) and gluthatione (a major internal antioxidant).

In skincare, it's mostly added as an antioxidant. Some emerging research is also looking at its role in wound healing + evening out pigmentation though most of the pigmentation data comes from oral supplements rather than topical use).

Typical use concentrations for this ingredient are usually quite low (under 5% in leave-on skincare).

Safety data on cysteine specifically shows it's not a skin or eye irritant.

Learn more about Cysteine
Humectant

Glutamic Acid is an amino acid that is found in all living organisms. Our bodies use this to help nerve cells in the brain communicate with other cells.

In cosmetics, glutamic acid is a famous humectant. It draws water from the air to your skin, keeping your skin hydrated (like hyaluronic acid).

An in-vitro study from 2024 found glutamic acid to play a role in inhibiting inflammation and thus a potential skin-soothing ingredient.

Other studies show it to be have potential wound healing, skin barrier repair, and hair growth properties.

Glutamic acid has poor solubility in water and other solvents.

Learn more about Glutamic Acid
Buffering, Skin Conditioning

Glycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Histidine is a semi-essential amino acid used by our bodies to create protein. It has humectant and skin conditioning properties.

Our bodies use histidine to create filaggrin - filaggrin is a structural protein that the skin uses in maintaining skin barrier.

One study found histidine and carnosine to be a dynamic duo for your skin:

Oral histidine has also been found to help with filaggrin-deficit skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.

Why is it considered a semi-essential amino acid? This is because adults are able to create it but children must get it from their diet.

Learn more about Histidine
Skin Conditioning

Isoleucine is an amino acid that helps reinforce our skin barrier. This amino acid plays a role in creating protein for the body.

Fun fact: Isoleucine is found in meat, fish, dairy, legumes, and nuts.

Skin Conditioning

Leucine is a small amino acid and one of the building blocks your body uses to make proteins.

It's also naturally found in your skin as part of your Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF). Your NMF is a mix of water-binding molecules that keeps the outer skin layer hydrated and flexible.

In skincare, it's mainly used as a skin conditioning ingredient that helps reinforce the same moisture-retention function.

You'll usually see it used at low percentages (generally under 5%) which is in line with how amino acids are used in cosmetics.

Learn more about Leucine
Skin Conditioning

Lysine is an essential amino acid (your body cannot make it on its own). It has skin conditioning properties and one of the key players in collagen synthesis.

When your body creates collagen, lysine is basically the glue that holds everything together. It helps collagen fibers lock into each other and stay strong, with vitamin C being its trusty sidekick. Without enough lysine, this glue gets flimsy and less firm, resulting in less bouncy skin.

In skincare, lysine is mostly there to help keep your skin moisturized. It carries water through your skin's layers so everything stays plump.

So will putting lysine on your face create bouncier skin?

It's hard to say; most of the exciting collagen research on lysine comes from oral supplements or lab studies on mice. Further research is needed to truly understand what role topical lysine plays in skincare and your skin.

However, there's no harm in adding lysine to your routine as a supportive and hydrating ingredient.

Learn more about Lysine
Masking, Refreshing

Menthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.

Menthol is known for its cooling sensation; however, the cooling is actually from your skin being sensitized. Menthol can worsen rosacea. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.

Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Menthol
Skin Conditioning

Methionine is a natural amino acid your skin already uses to make proteins and gluthatione (one of the body's key defense molecules against environmental stress like sun + pollution).

Its sulfur content makes it especially reactive with the free radicals that damage skin, giving it genuine antioxidant properties.

Usage percentages are usually under 1%, and usually as part of an amino acid mix designed to mimic what's naturally in skin.

One study used a combination of essential amino acids at 0.2% with supplemental methionine added and found significantly boosted collagen production in human skin.

Cosmetic industry reviewers have looked closely at methionine and other amino acids and found them well tolerated. Methionine is actually used as a "negative control" in lab tests designed to spot irritating ingredients because it doesn't cause a reaction.

Learn more about Methionine
Masking, Perfuming

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Phenylalanine is an amino acid. It is a skin soothing and hydrating ingredient. Amino acids play a crucial role in wound healing and skin hydration.

This ingredient is also used to help even out skin tone due to its ability to disrupt the melanin production process.

Two structures of phenylalanine exist: L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is essential, this means our bodies cannot produce it naturally and we must get it from foods. Our bodies convert D-phenylalanine to neurotransmitters, and D-phenylalanine is found in our bodies naturally.

Some foods that contain L-phenylalanine include eggs, soybeans, beef, milk.

Learn more about Phenylalanine
Skin Conditioning

Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.

It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.

Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.

Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.

Learn more about Proline
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Serine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.

Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.

Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.

Learn more about Serine

Threonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.

Our skin uses threonine for creating collagen and elastin. Humans are not able to create threonine and must get it through eating foods such as fish, lentils, poultry, sesame seeds, and more.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tyrosine is one of the amino acids your body already uses as a protein building block. In skincare, it shows up as a skin-conditioning agent.

It's most notable for being the raw material that your skin's tyrosinase enzyme converts into melanin (skin pigment); this is why it's sometimes marketed as a "tan accelerator" in products.

However, the tanning claim is shaky. Lab studies on isolated skin cells show tyrosine can boost melanin production at fairly high concentrations but hasn't shown to speed up/deepen a tan when applied directly to skin in animal studies (up to 0.05%).

Finished cosmetic products use it at low levels (generally well under 1%). At these amounts, it's considered non-irritating and non-sensitizing based on repeat-use patch testing.

Allergy-wise, plain tyrosinase hasn't shown sensitization issues but a chemically modified relative called Oleoyl Tyrosine has had a handful of cases.

Learn more about Tyrosine
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Valine is one of the essential amino acids (meaning your body can't make it on its own and has to get it from food).

In skincare, it's usually synthetically-made or pulled from plant proteins like soy.

It's one of the small building blocks that make up your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the built-in system that helps skin hold onto water. So its main job in a formula is to give the skin gentle hydration and help it feel more comfortable.

Typical amounts are very tiny: roughly 0.00004%-0.5% in leave on products and up to 1% in rinse-off ones.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel has looked at this ingredient and found no evidence of it being a skin irritant or allergen at cosmetic levels.

Learn more about Valine
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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