Versus

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Versus Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol

Serum
Serum
Canadian Brand Canada
Korean Brand South Korea

Updated on July 19, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

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

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

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

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
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
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 
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.

When to use

1,082 Routines
56% use in am
44% use in pm
95% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
1,608 Routines
47% use in am
53% use in pm
89% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 25 ingredients

2.3 /5
from 15 ratings
Doesn't Work (7) Absorbs Well (4) Irritating (4)
fawns's avatar

🐾

11 months ago
Review

♡︎
- 𝗐𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗉𝗎𝗋𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗌𝖾, 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝗂𝗇 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝖼𝗄 𝗌𝗈 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝗎𝗉
- 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗂'𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗅𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝗒𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝖺𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌
- 𝗂 𝖽𝗈 𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝗍 𝗈𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗈 𝗂 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝖿𝖺𝗇𝖼𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗁 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗆𝗒 𝖻𝗈𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾𝗌
- 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇'𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝖽

#great value
#light
#absorbs well
#no scent
ThomasvV's avatar

Thomas VV

2 months ago
Review

A mistake a lot of people make is that they think this eye serum is made for the long term. It's not, it's a great depuff serum in the morning. So if you're prone to puffiness, then this is a great first step in your routine to depuff your eyebags before applying a more rich eye cream.

I hate the fact that the bottle gets a bit dirty because of the crystalization of the caffeine, but that's Show more

#great value
#absorbs well
#no scent
#works well

Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol 22 ingredients

3.9 /5
from 40 ratings
Light (25) Works Well (20) Absorbs Well (19)
cacalu's avatar

cacalu

10 months ago
Review

HOLY GRAIL! I was struggling to keep a rosacea flare up under control for a whole month and decided to try this serum. It saved me since day one of use. No more redness, irritation bumps almost gone, rebalanced oil production. 100/10

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well
Beleni's avatar

Beleni

1 year ago
Review

The best for calming irritated skin. It won't do much for you if you don't have any irritation that you want to soothe, however, it gives me instant relief when I need it. That's why it doesn't belong in my daily routine but I do use it here and there as a sort of spot treatment for irritation or damaged skin barrier and it's never failed me.

#light
#absorbs well
#no scent
#works well