Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel: Same Name in Korea, Two Different Ingredient Lists

The Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel gets about 1,000 US Google searches a month. Add the ingredient, review, Reddit and “for oily skin” searches and the cluster reaches about 1,300.

The first page for it is mostly shops and ingredient databases: Amazon, Olive Young’s US store, resellers, Skinsort and an ingredient-decoder site, plus a Reddit thread, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube reviews. Most of them show one ingredient list. The catch is that the list you see depends on where you look, because the gel was reformulated and not every listing has caught up.

This post covers:

• The two ingredient lists, old and new, side by side
• What changed, and what that means for oily and acne-prone skin
• Whether it’s a moisturiser or a layering gel
• How Korea and the US search for it, next to its sister products

The name is the same in Korea. The formula isn’t.

On this site I usually start by showing that the Korean shelf name and the export name are different products on paper. Of the products we’ve checked so far in 2026, every one had a different name at home.

This one is an exception, at least on the name.

세라마이드 아토 수딩 젤 (se-ra-ma-i-deu a-to su-ding jel) is a straight transliteration of “Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel”. If you’re shopping in Seoul, the English name on the tube will match the shelf tag. The brand is 일리윤 (Illiyoon), an Amorepacific brand, and the Korean store lists Amorepacific as the maker, made in Korea.

A note on “Ato”: in Korea, “Ato” lines are the ones sold for very dry, easily irritated skin, and the word echoes 아토피 (atopy). It’s a category name, not a medical claim. The Korean store lists this gel as not a registered functional cosmetic (기능성 화장품 심사: 해당없음), so it isn’t making any regulated treatment claim in Korea.

The part that does differ is the last word in that export listing: [New Version].

Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel ingredients: the old list and the new list

The gel launched in Korea in April 2019. For years its ingredient list was short. Here’s that version as it appears on Daebak’s and SkinSAFE’s pages when I checked on 29 September 2026 (SkinSAFE dates its entry January 2025). Aritaum, an Amorepacific-owned Korean store, still shows the same 15 ingredients:

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol

Aritaum’s Korean list gives the ceramide as 세라마이드엔피 (100ppm).

The current Korean list

Both of the brand’s own Korean stores, amoremall.com and illiyoon.com, show a longer list. This is the Korean text as published on 29 September 2026:

정제수, 프로판다이올, 글리세린, 카프릴릭/카프릭트라이글리세라이드, 에틸헥실스테아레이트, 1,2-헥산다이올, 암모늄아크릴로일다이메틸타우레이트/브이피코폴리머, 폴리글리세릴-3메틸글루코오스다이스테아레이트, 세테아릴올리베이트, 솔비탄올리베이트, 카보머, 트로메타민, 글리세릴카프릴레이트, 에틸헥실글리세린, 부틸렌글라이콜, 인삼수, 황금추출물, 세라마이드엔피(104ppm), 베타인, 매실추출물, 검정콩오일, 하이드로제네이티드레시틴, 스쿠알란, 마데카소사이드, 폴리글리세릴-10펜타스테아레이트, 피토스핑고신, 펜틸렌글라이콜, 다이포타슘글리시리제이트, 카놀라오일, 로즈마리잎추출물, 토코페롤

In English (my translation of the Korean names into their standard INCI names; newer export pages such as Trendyol and Ballagrio start their lists the same way):

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ceramide NP (104ppm), Betaine, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Squalane, Madecassoside, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate, Phytosphingosine, Pentylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol

Korean ingredient app Hwahae also counts 31 ingredients for the 175 ml gel, which matches the new list.

[🇰🇷 Kate 확인 필요] — 현재 판매분 박스/튜브 뒷면 전성분. 위 한국어 목록은 아모레몰·일리윤 공식몰 상세페이지 기준(2026-09-29)이다. 매대 실물 튜브가 31개 성분(에틸헥실스테아레이트·검정콩오일·카놀라오일 포함) 버전인지 라벨 사진으로 확인할 것. 아리따움 페이지는 아직 15개 구버전 목록이다.

What actually changed

I compared the two lists line by line. All 15 old ingredients are still there. Sixteen were added.

In plain words: the old gel was a very plain, light formula built on glycerin, propanediol, squalane and one ceramide. The new one keeps all of that but adds a layer of oils and plant-derived soothing ingredients. Ethylhexyl stearate, a spreading emollient, now sits fifth, right after the triglyceride.

That matches what shoppers noticed. The Reddit thread that ranks for “illiyoon ceramide ato soothing gel reformulation” is titled “Replacement for Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel”, and its preview reads: “They reformulated the gel? They added soybean oil and vegetable oil… is now better for dry skin.” Several export shops now label their stock “[New Version]”, which suggests the old tubes are still in circulation.

What stayed the same: there is still no listed fragrance or essential oil. Rosemary leaf extract is new, but it’s a plant extract near the very end of the list, not a fragrance ingredient. An Amazon listing (Amazon.ie) describes the gel as free of mineral oil, parabens, silicone oil, synthetic dye and artificial perfume.

A detail for allergies: the new list contains soybean oil and canola oil. SkinSAFE rates the old 15-ingredient version “Soy Free”, and that rating doesn’t apply to the new list. If you avoid soy or rapeseed on your skin, read the back of the tube before you buy.

Is the Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel a moisturizer?

Yes. The Korean store calls it a gel lotion (젤 로션) that soothes dry, sensitive skin and absorbs without stickiness, and its directions say to spread a generous amount on the face, arms and legs, wherever skin feels dry and needs cooling. So it’s a face-and-body moisturiser with a gel texture, not a serum or a toner.

The brand leans on the cooling side. Old Korean launch coverage (2019–2020) describes it as a high-moisture gel that lowers skin temperature, and the Amazon listing claims it lowers skin temperature by 9.6 degrees in 10 minutes. The listing doesn’t say how that was measured, so treat it as the brand’s claim.

How it sits in the Illiyoon Ceramide Ato range:

If you want the heavier version, we covered the cream in our Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream post. For a stronger barrier cream from the same parent company, see the AESTURA Atobarrier 365 Cream post.

Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel for oily skin

This is the question the reformulation changes most.

The old version was about as oil-light as a Korean moisturiser gets: squalane and one triglyceride, no plant oils. That’s why it built a following among oily and combination skin types, and why it shows up in “light moisturiser” recommendations.

The new version adds ethylhexyl stearate high on the list, plus soybean oil and canola oil further down. It’s still a gel with a water-and-glycerin base, and the oils are not the main ingredients. But it’s no longer the minimalist formula people recommended to oily skin.

What that means in practice:

• Oily but not acne-prone: the new version is likely still light enough as a gel. It’s a moisturiser, so it isn’t going to feel like nothing.
• Acne-prone and sensitive to oils: the Reddit reformulation thread is the group to listen to. Some reviewers there moved on because of the added oils. Patch-test the new version, or check the back of the tube and look for Ethylhexyl Stearate as the fifth ingredient to tell which version you have.
• Dry or dehydrated: the new list is a better fit than the old one. That’s the point Reddit made, too.

I can’t tell you how either version performs on your skin. That’s something only use can show.

Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel reviews: what people report

On Amorepacific’s Korean store the 175 ml gel showed 4.8 out of 5 from 4,018 reviews on 29 September 2026. Illiyoon’s own store headlines it as a “1st soothing gel” with 12 beauty awards. Aritaum shows 4.8 from 422 reviews, and Korean app Glowpick ranks it 3rd in its soothing-gel category.

Korean review snippets that rank on Google describe the texture the same way: between a lotion and a gel, semi-translucent white, a little runny, cooling, and quick to spread. Two older Korean blog reviews mention using it on the body after a shower and after hair removal or laser treatments.

In the English-language Reddit threads, opinions split along texture. One reviewer who tried the gel, lotion and cream said the gel and cream felt more calming than the lotion on a damaged barrier. Another who tried both the gel and the lotion preferred the lotion and found the gel thicker and slightly sticky.

Those are individual experiences, not tests. Some of them also date from before the reformulation, so check the date on any review you read.

[🇰🇷 Kate 확인 필요] — 실사용 후기. 써봤다면 1인칭 문단(어느 버전인지 — 튜브 뒷면 5번째 성분 에틸헥실스테아레이트 유무, 제형 점도·쿨링감, 흡수 후 끈적임, 얼굴/바디 사용감, 트러블 여부). 안 써봤다면 이 섹션은 비워두고 성분·검색 근거만으로 간다. 사용 경험을 창작하지 말 것.

What Koreans actually search

What stands out:

1. Korea searches the brand, not the product. 일리윤 gets 4,400 Korean searches. The gel, under any name, is a small fraction of that. It’s the kind of product Koreans pick up from a shelf or an online mall without looking it up first.
2. The cream is the star in both markets. In the US the Concentrate Cream gets 22 times the searches of the gel. In Korea the gap is closer to five times.
3. Koreans type the English name as often as the Korean one. “illiyoon ceramide ato soothing gel” and “일리윤 세라마이드 아토 수딩젤” both get 110 Korean searches. That’s unusual, and it probably reflects Korean shoppers checking overseas reviews and prices.

⚠️ A caveat on the numbers: most searching in Korea happens on Naver, not Google, so Google’s Korean figures understate domestic interest. I only use them to compare terms within one market, never as a headcount. The Korea column tells you how these names rank against each other on Korean Google. It doesn’t tell you how many Koreans use the gel.

How to use it

The brand’s Korean directions, translated:

1. Spread a generous amount on dry, sensitive areas that need cooling: face, arms, legs.
2. It’s meant to last without frequent reapplying.

A simple way to fit it in:

For the body, it works as a lighter summer alternative to a body lotion. Our Korean body lotion for dry skin guide covers the heavier options. If you like soothing gel-creams for the face, the Torriden Dive-In Soothing Cream post is a close comparison.

The Korean store gives a shelf life of 36 months unopened and 12 months after opening.

Size, price and where Korea sells it

Size: 175 ml tube is the standard size in Korea and abroad. Korean stores also sell 2-packs and family sets, and smaller 60 ml and 5 ml sizes turn up as gifts with purchase. I didn’t find a 30 ml size sold on its own in the Korean official stores.

Where Korea sells it: Amorepacific’s store (amoremall.com), Illiyoon’s own store (illiyoon.com), Aritaum, Olive Young online, Kurly, Coupang, Musinsa, 11st, GS Shop and Hwahae’s store, going by Google Korea’s results.

Olive Young: Google Korea shows an Olive Young online product page for the 175 ml gel, and Olive Young’s US store (us.oliveyoung.com) lists it as 175 ml / 5.91 fl. oz. Those are online listings, not a confirmed shelf sighting. The sister Concentrate Cream is the Illiyoon product we have confirmed on the shop floor.

[🇰🇷 Kate 확인 필요] — 올리브영 매대 여부. _olive_young_confirmed.json 에는 집중크림(illiyoon-ceramide-ato-cream)만 있고 수딩젤 항목이 없다. 매대에서 보면 진열 여부·이름표·가격표 사진, 그리고 튜브가 신버전(31성분)인지 함께 기록할 것.

Price: [🇰🇷 Kate 확인 필요] — 실가격(라벨/매대 가격만). 아모레몰·일리윤몰·컬리·아리따움에 가격이 보이지만 할인가·세트가가 섞여 있고 라벨에서 직접 읽은 값이 아니라서 옮기지 않았다.

Where to get it

• 🛒 Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel on Amazon. If the version matters to you, check the ingredient photo on the listing: the new formula has Ethylhexyl Stearate as the fifth ingredient.
• 🛒 Shop Korean skincare at Jolse. Search “illiyoon” (K-beauty retailer, ships worldwide).

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, and we may earn a small commission from other links — at no extra cost to you. Nothing here was gifted or sponsored.

How I put this together

This isn’t a lab test, a sponsored post or a personal review. I’ve left the first-person section empty on purpose until it can be written from real use.

What is here:

• From Amorepacific’s Korean store (amoremall.com) and Illiyoon’s Korean store (illiyoon.com), as published on 29 September 2026: the Korean product name, the 31-ingredient list, directions, maker, functional-cosmetic status, shelf life and the review count and rating.
• From Aritaum, Daebak and SkinSAFE the same day: the older 15-ingredient list.
• Product names, “[New Version]” labels and review snippets as they appear in Google results in Korea and the US, including the Reddit reformulation thread and the Amazon listing.
• The 2019 launch date, from Korean trade press.
• Google search volumes for Korea and the US, pulled on 29 September 2026.

What I have not confirmed:

• Which version is on Korean shelves right now, and which version a given export seller ships.
• Exactly when the reformulation happened.
• Any price, in Korea or the US.
• Whether Olive Young stocks the gel on the shop floor.
• How the brand measured its cooling claim.

I’ve flagged each of those instead of borrowing a figure from someone else’s page.

FAQ

Was the Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel reformulated?
Yes. The brand’s Korean stores now list 31 ingredients, up from 15. All the old ingredients stayed, and additions include ethylhexyl stearate, soybean oil, canola oil, madecassoside and phytosphingosine. Some export shops label the newer stock “[New Version]”.

What are the main Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel ingredients?
Water, propanediol and glycerin make up the base, with ceramide NP (104ppm in the new Korean list), betaine and squalane. The new version adds oils and emollients such as ethylhexyl stearate, soybean oil and canola oil, plus soothing ingredients like madecassoside and dipotassium glycyrrhizate. There’s no listed fragrance.

Is the Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel good for oily skin?
The old version was very oil-light, which is why oily skin types liked it. The new version adds oils, so acne-prone users on Reddit have been more cautious about it. Check the back of the tube and patch-test.

Is the Illiyoon moisturizer Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel a moisturizer or a serum?
A moisturiser. The Korean store calls it a gel lotion for face and body, to be spread on dry, sensitive areas.

What do Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel reviews on Reddit say?
Opinions split on texture. Some reviewers found it calming on a damaged barrier, others found it thicker and slightly sticky compared with the Ato Lotion. The reformulation thread notes that added oils make it better for dry skin and less appealing for acne-prone skin. Those are individual opinions, not tests.

Is it the same product in Korea and abroad?
The name is the same: 세라마이드 아토 수딩 젤 is a direct transliteration. The ingredient list depends on when the tube was made. Korea’s official stores show the new 31-ingredient version, while many export listings still show the old 15-ingredient one.

Is there a 30ml Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel?
The standard size is 175 ml. Korean stores give smaller sizes such as 60 ml and 5 ml as gifts with purchase. I didn’t find a 30 ml size sold on its own in the brand’s Korean stores.

Can I use it on my body?
Yes. The brand’s directions mention the face, arms and legs.

Does it contain soy?
The new Korean list includes soybean oil (listed in Korean as black soybean oil). The old 15-ingredient version didn’t. If you avoid soy on your skin, check which version you have.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through them, My Korea Palette may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. I only feature products I genuinely rate. Full disclosure.