Missha Time Revolution The First Essence Enriched Versus innisfree Youth Enhancing Treatment Essence with Black Tea + Peptides
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingYeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Diethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantAureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentSea Salt
AbrasiveAspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Yeast Ferment Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Beta-Glucan, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sea Salt, Aspergillus Ferment, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water 95%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentEctoin
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Mannitol
HumectantSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Polypeptide
Skin ConditioningArginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Heptapeptide-4
HumectantSorbic Acid
PreservativeHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcetyl Octapeptide-3
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water 95%, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dextrin, Ectoin, Hyaluronic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glutathione, Mannitol, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Glycine Max Polypeptide, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Copper Tripeptide-1, Disodium EDTA, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Sorbic Acid, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetyl Octapeptide-3
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
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolDextrin is a starch-derived polysaccharide. It's made by partially breaking down corn, potato, or other plant starches.
Think of it as "half-processed" starch; it's less complex than the original but not fully broken down into sugar like maltodextrin.
In cosmetics, it mainly functions as a bulking agent, viscosity controller, binder, and absorbent. It helps thicken products, stabilize powders, and get certain textures a less "wet" feel.
This ingredient has a pretty solid safety profile; it's recognized as a safe food additive and its large molecular size means it doesn't meaningfully penetrate skin.
Human repeat insult patch tests using a rinse-off facial product containing 42.69% dextrin found no skin irritation or sensitization in 54 subjects.
Typical real-world usage is much lower: usually under 1% as a texture modifier and up to 40% in masks (rinse off products use less).
Learn more about DextrinEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
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.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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