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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum versus Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum .

Last updated on November 20, 2023. Published on January 21, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both serums. They have a total of 18 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain ceramides, exfoliants, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and peptides

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum South Korean Brand South Korea
Serum American Brand United States

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Black Tea Boosting Serum

Starts at $31.92
Shop

Buy Skin Activator Serum

Starts at $150.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Exfoliators
Niacinamide
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid (4)
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (6)
Reduces Irritation (4)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

PHA
Vitamin C
Exfoliators (2)
Niacinamide
Ceramides
Hyaluronic Acid (3)
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (5)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Rosacea
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Water • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Glycereth-26 • Niacinamide • Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Caprylyl Glycol • Dicaprylyl Ether • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Hydroxyacetophenone • Pentylene Glycol • Tromethamine • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Dipropylene Glycol • Maltodextrin • Ethylhexylglycerin • Polysilicone-15 • Caramel • Adenosine • Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate • Xanthan Gum • Eclipta Prostrata Extract • Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract • Disodium EDTA • Silica • Methylpropanediol • Panthenol • Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract • Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate • 1,2-Hexanediol • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil • Panax Ginseng Berry Extract • Ethylhexyl Palmitate • Cetyl Ethylhexanoate • Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract • Coptis Japonica Extract • Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract • Scrophularia Buergeriana Extract • Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate • Cholesterol • Piper Methysticum Root Extract • Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract • Brassica Campestris Sterols • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 • Fructose • Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate • Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Centella Asiatica Extract • Glucose • Potassium Cetyl Phosphate • Ceramide NP • Beta-Glucan • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate • Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer • Asiatic Acid • Asiaticoside • Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate • Ceramide Ns • Madecassic Acid • Madecassoside • Ceramide EOP

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

4
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

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.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

7
What it does: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic
Community Rating: Loved

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract has many benefits. It contains polyphenols, a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off free-radical molecules that damage skin cells. The antioxidants in green tea neutralize free-radicals from the sun. This gives the skin some extra UV protection, but should not replace sunscreen.

Many components of tea have anti-inflammatory properties. Polyphenols and L-theanine help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. L-theanine is an amino acid that makes up most of the amino acids found in tea leaves. The caffeine in Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract helps calm inflamed blood vessels.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract also contains Vitamin Bs, linoleic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract also has antimicrobial properties.

Research has shown both drinking Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea and applying it to the skin can help boost skin elasticity and hydration. Studies also show using tea extract may reduce sebum, or oil, production.

Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.

8
What it does: Absorbent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.

In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.

As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.

Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.

Learn more about Maltodextrin

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 31.

9
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 43.

10
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.

Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.

Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.

In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.

Learn more about Adenosine

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.

11
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.

12
What it does: Abrasive, Absorbent
Community Rating: Disliked

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

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 35.

13
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

14
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 52.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 25.

15
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.

Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.

Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.

If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.

Read more about other common types of ceramides here: Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP

Learn more about Ceramide NP

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 56.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 42.

16
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide. It can be derived from the cell walls of seaweed, oats, yeast, and fungi.

Beta-Glucan is a humectant, meaning it can hold large amounts of water. This helps hydrate the skin. It also helps boost your skin's natural barrier.

Beta-Glucan has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

Studies show Beta-Glucan may be an effective wrinkle reducer as it can deeply penetrate into skin. It has also been show to help with wound healing.

Learn more about Beta-Glucan

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 57.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 39.

17
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a type of hyaluronic acid. In fact, it is modified version of hyaluronic acid.

The structure of Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer allows it to stay in the skin's top layer for a longer period of time. This allows for even more hydration and humectant action than hyaluronic acid.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 60.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.

18
What it does: Humectant
Community Rating: Liked

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.

Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Boosting Serum contains this as ingredient number 63.

Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum contains this as ingredient number 24.

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

58% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
19% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet
41% are loved or liked
16% have mixed ratings
27% are disliked or very disliked
16% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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