Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence versus Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water .
Published on December 26, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 12 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Essence
Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.
Toner
Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.
Price
Ingredient Info
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence 39 ingredients
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water 36 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence 39 ingredients
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water 36 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence 39 ingredients
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water 36 ingredients
Phormium Tenax Extract • Glycerin • Propanediol • 1,2-Hexanediol • Dimethicone • C14-22 Alcohols • Arachidyl Alcohol • Behenyl Alcohol • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside • Cyclopentasiloxane • Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer • Dimethiconol • Arachidyl Glucoside • Xanthan Gum • Carbomer • Polysilicone-11 • Portulaca Oleracea Extract • Potassium Hydroxide • Ethylhexylglycerin • Butylene Glycol • Water • Honey • Disodium EDTA • Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract • Echinacea Angustifolia Root Cell Culture Extract • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract • Triticum Vulgare Sprout Extract • Sodium Hyaluronate • Tocopherol • Polygonum Odoratum Extract • Cereus Grandiflorus Extract • Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract • Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract • Gastrodia Elata Root Extract • Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract • Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract • Pentylene Glycol • Parfum
Water • Alcohol • Betaine • Butylene Glycol • Glyceryl Polymethacrylate • Glycerin • Peg/Ppg-17/6 Copolymer • Glycereth-26 • Phenoxyethanol • Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane • Honey • Acrylates Copolymer • Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract • Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Powder • Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract • Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract • Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract • Ethylhexylglycerin • Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone • Parfum • Portulaca Oleracea Extract • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Potassium Hydroxide • Disodium EDTA • Limonene • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract • Natto Gum • Sodium Hyaluronate • Linalool • Propanediol • BHA • Acetic Acid • Tocopherol • Beta-Glucan
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 2.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 6.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
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 PropanediolThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 3.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 32.
Portulaca Oleracea Extract is an extract of the whole plant of the Purslane, Portulaca oleracea L., Portulacaceae. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hydrating properties.
Purslane is very nutritious. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, NMFs, many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The vitamins found in purslane include: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.
Purslane is a succulent with an extensive habitat. It is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat irritated skin.
Nowadays, it is becoming a superfood due to its highly nutritious content.
Learn more about Portulaca Oleracea ExtractThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 18.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 22.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 19.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 24.
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.
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 20.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 19.
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.
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 21.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 WaterThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 22.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 1.
Honey comes from bees. It is mainly made up of fructose and glucose. Honey also contains amino acids, peptides, Vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamins A, C, and E all offer numerous skin benefits.
Honey is hydrating, antibacterial, anti-aging, and skin soothing.
The humectant property of honey makes it great at helping to hydrate the skin. Humectants draw moisture from the air to your skin.
Honey may help reduce the signs of aging due to its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help protect your skin against free-radical molecules. If left unchecked, these molecules may damage your skin cells and DNA. Fun fact: darker honey is a antioxidant than light honey.
The antibacterial property of honey may make it effective at helping to treat acne. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Many people wonder if honey is vegan. It is technically a byproduct from bees. This is because honey is created from the digestive enzymes in a bee's stomach.
Remember to be kind to bees :) They are important for many ecosystems and are endangered.
Learn more about HoneyThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 23.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 12.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 24.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 25.
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 HyaluronateThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 29.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 30.
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 TocopherolThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 30.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 35.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, 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.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term '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. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
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 ParfumThe Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence contains this as ingredient number 39.
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water contains this as ingredient number 21.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence 39 ingredients
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water 36 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Essence 39 ingredients
Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water 36 ingredients
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