Bonajour Peptide Water Bomb Versus COSRX Pure Fit Cica Cream

Bonajour Peptide Water Bomb Versus COSRX Pure Fit Cica Cream

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Polyglutamic Acid and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glycerin

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polyglutamic Acid

Phenyl Trimethicone

Squalane

Octyldodecanol

Glycereth-26

Pentylene Glycol

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Nicotinoyl Dipeptide-23

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

1,2-Hexanediol

Carbomer

Arginine

Allantoin

Panthenol

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Caprylyl Glycol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Adenosine

Propanediol

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Octyldodecanol, Glycereth-26, Pentylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Nicotinoyl Dipeptide-23, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Arginine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Adenosine, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Centella Asiatica Extract

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Centella Asiatica Root Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Triethylhexanoin

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Beeswax

Cetearyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Cyclohexasiloxane

Asiaticoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiatic Acid

Madecassoside

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Triethylhexanoin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Beeswax, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Arginine, Madecassoside, Allantoin, Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Water, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract

Alternatives

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

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

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.

Butylene 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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Glycerin (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.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.

It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.

The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.

The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.

Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.

One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).

This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.

On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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!

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