This smoothing toner is formulated around Gluconolactone and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.
This smoothing toner is formulated around Betaine Salicylate and Lactobionic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone 8%
Skin Conditioning
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Humectant
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Juice
Skin ConditioningOzothamnus Diosmifolius Extract
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sucrose
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Water, Gluconolactone 8%, 2,3-Butanediol, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Glycerin, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Pyrus Malus Juice, Ozothamnus Diosmifolius Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactobacillus Ferment, Panthenol, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Sodium PCA, Sodium Phytate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Maltodextrin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Stearic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sucrose, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingWater, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Lactobionic Acid, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Reviews
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
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.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolChlorella Vulgaris Extract comes from a single-celled green freshwater algae.
The version used in skincare is almost always a water or glycerin-based extract that is basically the algae's amino acids, peptides, sugars, and chlorophyll pigments.
It acts as a skin-conditioning agent and the research behind it at this time is mostly lab-dish rather than human trials.
Isolated Chlorella peptides inhibit collagenase and elastase (the enzymes that chew up collagen and elastin) and mop up free radicals in test-tube assays. Another study found a Chlorella gel sped up wound healing in mice. Many of the firming or dark-circle claims come from the ingredient supplier's own studies.
Suppliers suggest using 1-2% of the trade version (Water/Glycerin + Chlorella Vulgaris Extract) in a finished formula which means the actual algae solids are a fraction of a percent.
Allergy risk is low and topical reactions are rare; the 2020 anaphylaxis case came from eating Chlorella supplements and not from putting it on skin.
However, patch testing is sensible if you have reacted to algae before.
The "chlorella is high in iodine so it breaks you out" line borrows from marine seaweed. Freshwater Chlorella isn't a notable iodine source unless it's deliberately grown in iodine-enriched medium.
Just so you know, many lists give algae a comedogenic rating of 5 and that number doesn't come from anywhere; it's not in the original rabbit-ear studies that most comedogenic ratings trace back to.
The reasoning behind the reputation is that seaweed is high in iodine and iodine can trigger acne-like breakouts when eaten. This traces back to a 1976 letter in Archives of Dermatology describing two women whose breakouts cleared after they stopped taking high-dose kelp supplements orally.
And the reaction of these two women wasn't clogged pores at all: it was an iodine-triggered pustular rash. Later research found normal dietary iodine doesn't meaningfully affect acne either and nobody has shown topical algae delivers enough iodine to matter.
Learn more about Chlorella Vulgaris ExtractEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinFructooligosaccharides (FOS) are a type of prebiotic sugar with humectant and skin conditioning properties. As a humectant, they help attract and hold moisture in the skin.
FOS essentially acts as a food source for the "good" bacteria on your skin and make it harder for "bad" bacteria to thrive. A 2022 study using a reconstructured human skin model found that just 1% of FOS was enough to shift the bacteria balance in favor of beneficial species. This suggests it could help support a healthier skin microbiome over time.
This ingredient has a low sensitization risk and testing shows it does not classify as a skin irritant or sensitizer.
FOS are usually produced from sugar beets and can also be found in foods like bananas, garlic, and onions.
Learn more about FructooligosaccharidesGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinPanthenol 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.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium 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.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
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!
Learn more about Water
