COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner Versus COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner versus COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive .

Last updated on December 25, 2023. Published on January 16, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe toners. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA and BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

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

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

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COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive

Toner South Korean Brand

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.

Toner

Price

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Buy AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

Starts at $9.99

Shop

Buy AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive

Starts at $14.99

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner 11 ingredients

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive 25 ingredients

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner 11 ingredients

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive 25 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

AHA

BHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (2)

Redness Reducing

Reduces Irritation

Skin Texture

Reduces Large Pores (2)

Anti-Aging

Dark Spots

Scar Healing (2)

Brightening

Concerns

Irritating

Rosacea (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA (2)

BHA

Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating

Good For Oily Skin (2)

Redness Reducing (2)

Reduces Irritation (3)

Skin Texture (2)

Reduces Large Pores (3)

Anti-Aging (2)

Dark Spots (2)

Scar Healing (4)

Acne Fighting (2)

Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying

May Worsen Oily Skin

Irritating (3)

Rosacea (5)

Eczema (3)

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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner 11 ingredients

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive 25 ingredients

Water • Salix Alba Bark Water • Pyrus Malus Fruit Water • Butylene Glycol • 1,2-Hexanediol • Sodium Lactate • Glycolic Acid • Betaine Salicylate • Allantoin • Panthenol • Ethyl Hexanediol

Propolis Extract • Alcohol • Butylene Glycol • Water • Sodium Lactate • Dimethyl Sulfone • Betaine • Lactic Acid • Betaine Salicylate • 1,2-Hexanediol • Glycolic Acid • Polysorbate 20 • Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract • Ethyl Hexanediol • Panthenol • Allantoin • Sodium Hyaluronate • Polysorbate 60 • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Zinc PCA • Parfum • Asiaticoside • Asiatic Acid • Madecassic Acid • Limonene

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Water

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 4.

Butylene Glycol

What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Mixed

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.

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 4.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 3.

1,2-Hexanediol

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Mixed

1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.

In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 5.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 10.

Sodium Lactate

What it does: Buffering, Humectant

Community Rating: Liked

Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and used to adjust the pH of a product.

Sodium Lactate is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin.

It also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.

Our NMF is formed from amino acids, lactic acid, sugars, minerals, peptides, and electrolytes. As we age, our NMF naturally depletes. Other sources of NMF depletion include harsh and drying ingredients such as denatured alcohol. Sodium lactate can help replenish our NMF, leading to more hydrated and plump skin.

High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.

Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.

Learn more about Sodium Lactate

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 6.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 5.

Glycolic Acid

What it does: Buffering

Community Rating: Loved

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 7.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 11.

Betaine Salicylate

What it does: Antimicrobial

Community Rating: Liked

Betaine Salicylate is a salicylic acid alternative. It is created with betaine and salicylic acid.

Betain Salicylate is a keralytic ingredient. This means it breaks down the top layer of skin. Due to its similarity to salicylic acid, it can be considered a BHA alternative.

This ingredient is most effective at a pH range of 3.8-4.2.

Learn more about Betaine Salicylate

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 8.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 9.

Allantoin

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing

Community Rating: Loved

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 9.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 16.

Panthenol

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.

lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.

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

Learn more about Panthenol

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 10.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 15.

Ethyl Hexanediol

What it does: Solvent

Community Rating: Mixed

Ethyl Hexanediol is an aliphatic alcohol. It is a solvent.

Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner contains this as ingredient number 11.

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive contains this as ingredient number 14.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner 11 ingredients

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive 25 ingredients

64% are loved or liked

27% have mixed ratings

0% are disliked or very disliked

9% have no rating yet

60% are loved or liked

16% have mixed ratings

20% are disliked or very disliked

4% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner 11 ingredients

COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive 25 ingredients

Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner 11 ingredients

3.8 /5

from 37 ratings

Absorbs Well (4) Light (4) Great Value (3) No Scent (3) Works Well (2) Drying (1)

Gracekp_827

2 months ago · Dry Skin

Review

My first chemical exfoliator. Great as an introduction for beginner or sensitive skin. Works well for a couple of months and then it didn't give...

My first chemical exfoliator. Great as an introduction for beginner or sensitive skin. Works well for a couple of months and then it didn't give the same effect as it used to. Help reduce blackheads, bumps, and prevent hormonal aches.

COSRX

AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

jojoswrld_

4 months ago · Dry Skin

Review

When I first used this, it made my skin tingle ever-so-slightly before revealing the smoothest skin ever. The ever-present texture (closed...

When I first used this, it made my skin tingle ever-so-slightly before revealing the smoothest skin ever. The ever-present texture (closed comedones) on my forehead and cheeks have diminished greatly because of this. I only use it at night because AHA can cause sensitivity to sunlight!

COSRX

AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

Great Value

Works Well